Past Experiences
by feey
Summary: After Link has defeated Majora, he returns to Hyrule. However, someone has a surprise in store for him, sending him back to the past. Rated T for later chapters. Epilogue is up.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Zelda.

OoOoO

It had been thirty years since the war between the tribes had begun. The Hylians and Skeikah were allies, but all the other tribes preferred to fight on their own. The Gorons held the mountains; the Zora the rivers and lakes. The Hylians held the plains, and their secretive allies held the underground caves and passages. The Gerudo held the desert, but the undead and their dark king held the night. From dusk till dawn, his minions would roam and attack anything living. The other tribes fought him as best they could, but were not enough on their own.

The Hylians were possessive of their plains and let no one pass through without a heavy toll; sometimes no one was allowed to pass at all. The Gerudo, in their arid desert, wanted the plains. A river went through the desert, but it was fiercely guarded by the Zora. They wanted nothing to do with the other races and wanted them to have nothing to do with their rivers. The Gorons, long lived creatures that they were, remembered every slight, every wrong. They let no one past the foot hills of their mountains, flattening the intruders with rocks if they came in too far. As for the Sheikah, they had sworn to protect the Hylian leader, and that they would do. Most would have nothing to do with the secretive race; their white hair and dark skin, as well as their flashing eyes, gave many an uneasy feeling. Add to that their knowledge of the land's dark secrets, of every race, and their fondness of the night and silence, they were not often a welcome people. But the Hylian leader had proposed an alliance as soon as war loamed over the horizon; the Sheikah were known as some of the best fighters in the land. What they lacked in strength and magic, they made up for in speed, silence, and slights of hand with their many powders.

Meanwhile, as the good tribes refused to cooperate and fought, the king of the undead plotted. This king was a disciple of Ganon's, and longed to return his master to the land. His main way of doing so was to gain the Triforce, which was hidden in the Sacred Realm. However, each race held a key that was needed to open the gateway. The Gorons, Zora, and the secretive forest people, who were staying in the forest and not fighting, each had a spiritual stone that were the first set of keys. A magical ocarina, known as the Ocarina of Time, was held by the royal family of the Hylians and a set of songs known only to the Sheikah were the second set of keys. And the third,  
most important key to opening the Sacred Realm was the Master Sword, which was currently held by the Gerudo. They had acquired it in a raid; no one knew where it came from or whose it was. However, they could not use it. For some reason, the sword would not allow itself to be used by anyone.

_ The ocarina and the sword would not be hard to get,_ the dark king mused. The ocarina was always in the possession of the Hylian king and the sword, despite the fact that it could not be used, was always worn into battle by the Gerudo leader, who happened to be a man. It seemed that the first male in quite a while to be born was born in time for the war; lucky him. It was the three spiritual stones that were giving the king a headache. The Zora's Sapphire was hidden deep in the depths of their watery kingdom, and none of his undead did very well in water. He hated the stuff; it was too easy to die in. The Goron's Ruby was zealously protected. The Gorons, because of their size and appearance were usually looked upon as a lesser race. Thus, the fact that they had a key to the Sacred Realm was considered extremely important to them, and it was a matter of Goron pride. No, it would be extremely difficult to retrieve the stone. But despite how hard it would be to trek up Death mountain, avoid falling rocks and get through the Goron cavern to find the ruby, it would be even harder to gain the Spiritual Stone of the forest. The forest, known as the Kokiri Forest, was off limits to all but the forest people. No one knew what they looked like because they never came out and anyone who tried to enter never returned. Rumors spoke of a great tree in the center of the forest that protected it and its people with magic, but no one knew if they were true. And any undead who entered were promptly sucked under the soil. He had seen it happen; he had sent in two Stalfos, for since they were dead and could not be killed, and as soon as their feet touched the forest soil, it sucked them under. The next night, they did not rise from the earth as all the others did. The only way to kill an undead was with fire, and now it seemed, by having the forest suck them up.

_ And then there is the matter of the songs,_ he reminded himself. But that did not matter as much. All he had to do was find a Sheikah graveyard and summon some of its members. As much as the loyal Sheikah may try to resist, they would eventually tell him what they knew of the songs. That part would take a while, but it would be simple. But first, he had to get the Spiritual Stones.


	2. Chapter 1 Return

A young man in green clothing rode a beautiful sorrel mare across the plains of Hyrule. It was his first time in the kingdom for many years. His blue eyes sparkled, and he patted the mare's neck. 

"Well girl," he began, "Shall we see if its still fun to gallop around here?" With a loud whinny, the mare was off. Her rider just laughed and let her run, a red streak across the green plains.

"He has returned, my master." A silken voice crooned. A bony hand tapped his chair arm as the owner pondered on the news.

"Very well," he said in a raspy, gravelly voice, "Tell the witches that it is now time." The servant bobbed its head and went to do its master's bidding.

The three witches, once they heard the news, were eager to begin.

"I've never altered time before," one giggled. "Won't this be fun?" Her grey haired sisters nodded, their matching grey eyes twinkling in pure malice. The three were identical in almost every aspect; the only way to tell them apart was to decide which one had darker grey eyes. The eldest, Atro, had the palest eyes. Lacsis, the middle one, had medium grey eyes, and the youngest, Cloto, had eyes so dark they were almost black.

"What time should we send him too?" Lacsis asked.

"Who cares?" Atro replied, "As long as he's out of the way so Lord Ganon can return. That's all the Skull King wants."

"Let's send him far into the past. Say, to when the tribal wars were occurring." The other two stared at Cloto, aghast at the thought.

"But that's when the Skull King was at the height of his power," Lacsis whispered.

"Exactly," nodded Cloto, "Should the Skull King win, the Hero of Time will be dead and no one will be around to defeat Lord Ganon. Should the Hero of Time defeat the Skull King, there will have been no one to enslave us and we can get all the credit. Yet the Hero of Time will still be in the past, where he can not harm nor stop Lord Ganon." She grinned and her sisters joined in. They hated the Skull King, who, after sending in his undead hordes to attack them, forced them into his service. They cackled, as all witches must, and began their preparations. They worked slowly and methodically, for when one wants to alter time, one can never be too careful.

Impa sighed as she felt the magic of the Sacred Realm surround her and lift her up to the Chamber of the Sages. It was becoming harder and harder to hide these visits from the King, even with Zelda's help. The two were old friends, and when Impa was not keeping an eye on the errant princess, she could often be found chatting with him. Well, she chatted as much as a Sheikah could. However, she could not tell him of her visits to the Sacred Realm. For while the Sages remembered what had once happened, the rest of Hyrule did not. Thankfully though, Zelda, Ruto, and Saria had been given a few years of blissful ignorance of the other time before they remembered.

_Otherwise all hell would have broken loose, knowing Zelda and Ruto._ Impa thought darkly. She looked around the light filled chamber, waiting for her host.

She did not have to wait long; a short, chubby man with white hair and flowing robes appeared before her. Before he could begin his customary salutations, Impa cut him off.

"What is it Rauru?" The sage just shook his head at Impa's bluntness and began.

"He has returned Impa. And while he does not remember now, he will soon." Impa nodded, her stoic expression hiding her inward groan.

_This had to happen just as the Princess got over what she did in that other time,_ she thought.

"Well, you obviously want me to do something, so speak up," she commanded. This time Rauru rolled his eyes at her bluntness. Impa ignored him, waiting.

"I want you to find him. Journey with him to Castle Town, and bring him here. Somewhere along the way he will regain his memories, and I want a familiar and trusted person to be with him. Impa raised an eyebrow.

"Is that all?" she asked, wondering why he did not ask Darunia to do this. The Goron leader had been closer to Link than she had.

Rauru sighed, "No. You are the only one who can keep him from doing something rash."

"What makes you think he will?" she asked, "Link has always had a fairly cool head."

Rauru looked at her, "Please Impa. He's just returned, for a pleasure visit most likely, and finds out that in an alternate time he not only saved Hyrule, but killed the king of evil, Ganon. Add to that, his friend, who he cared very much about, sent him back in time and stripped him of his memories? I would be very surprised if he managed to keep a level head."

Impa held up her hands in defeat. She did not like the idea of leaving Zelda, but it appeared that she had to do this. "Alright, alright. I'll set out tomorrow; my scouts can find him by then."

Rauru nodded, and then asked, "What will you tell the king?"

Impa had already turned to leave when she answered, "That the Sage of Light told me to find a young man in Kokiri clothing and bring him to the Temple of Time. And look, I have this nifty medallion to show him!" The last part was added sarcastically as she held up her Sage's medallion. Rauru laughed and waved good bye, watching her figure depart.

_I hope she gets there in time,_ he thought sadly. He suddenly looked very old as his shoulders sagged. The Hero of Time was old, but the Sage of Light was older.

"Very well Impa, you have my permission to find this young man. How can I not give it, as the Sage of Light himself has given you this task?" The King told her, smiling at his friend. Impa nodded and thanked him.

"No need. You will be leaving someone to watch over Zelda though?" he asked.

"Allya will be here tonight. She will look after the Princess while I'm gone," Impa told him.

"Very well then. I wish you a safe and quick journey." Impa bowed respectively and left the chamber, headed for her own room. She had already sent for Allya and the scouts; Allya was on her way and the scouts were out searching for Link.

When she arrived at her room, she was instantly bombarded with questions from Zelda and a visiting Princess Ruto. The two had become good friends and were a terror when they ganged up.

"No answers unless you two allow me to pack!" Impa declared, and the two obediently got out of her way.

"Where are you going?" Zelda asked, followed by a "What did Rauru say?" from Ruto. Impa sighed, wondering how to put her task without upsetting either girl.

"Rauru wants me to go and bring someone to the Chamber. I'm setting out tomorrow to get that person; the scouts are finding him or her for me." There. That's all she was going to say. Ruto still had a crush on Link, and to say Zelda felt badly about her treatment of Link was an understatement. So Impa let the matter lie, and no amount of questioning would change her mind. Eventually the two princesses gave up, and they began guessing at who this person was. Impa allowed herself a private smile at the people they were guessing. It was just for fun, but some of the people were so ridiculous that one had to smile. Like Ingo, for example.

Later that evening two Sheikah arrived and Impa shooed the two princesses away after introducing Allya and Zelda. Allya followed them, silent and unseen. Impa turned towards the other Sheikah, an eyebrow raised. The scout began his report.

"We found him off the shores of Lake Hylia. His tracks suggest that he came from the forest, and from what he told the old professor on the lake, he heads towards Castle Town tomorrow. However, it looks like he does not mean to arrive here for another seven day or so. He said he wished to visit Lon Lon Ranch and Kakairko village. Apparently he knows relatives of Talon and Malon. From Castle Town he plans to go on to Death Mountain. That is all."

"Very well. You are dismissed, and when you return to the camp, make sure Johen knows that he is in charge until I return." She never left anything to chance, even when she left on a task as simple as this. The scout nodded and left. Impa smiled as she looked at her packs; she would leave early in the morning. It would be good to be on the back of a horse again and ride across the plains. It may even be fun.


	3. Chapter 2 Journey

A/N: Thanks to those who reviewed! It means a lot to me because this is my first story. Enjoy!

Justin Time: Thanks a bunch for the review, and keep up the good work with your story!

I don't own anything to do with Zelda except my copies of OoT and MM.

OoOoO

Link had a weird feeling that someone was watching him as he set up camp. Even Epona was looking around, wary, and she usually ended his feelings of being watched by not caring about what was around her. After lighting the fire, which was a good tool to scare off any unfriendly animals, Link had had enough of this silent watcher.

"Stop skulking around and show yourself!" he called out, his hand resting on his bow. Something snorted in the darkness, and Link heard footsteps coming towards him.

"I'm impressed. Most people would not have even had the inkling that I was there," a white haired woman, leading a light grey horse, remarked. Link studied her; she seemed familiar for some reason.

"And what can I do for you, Lady Sheikah?" Link asked politely, his hand still on the bow. The woman picketed her horse near Epona and untacked him.

"Well, I wouldn't mind sharing your fire for the night. Then, I'm afraid; I need to escort you to the Temple of Time in Castle Town. The Sage of Light wants to meet you." She walked over and sat down opposite of Link, who had removed his hand from his bow at the mention of the Sage of Light.

"Why does the Sage want to meet me?" he asked, confused. The woman shrugged.

"He did not say. My name is Impa," she offered.

"I'm Link." The Sheikah nodded, and Link wondered again if he had met her before. She seemed to know him, but he was almost positive that he had not met her. He thought back to all the people he had met on his travels, but could think of no one who even slightly resembled the tall woman.

Impa had noticed Link studying her, but said nothing on it. Instead, she kept an eye on the two rabbits she had spit and put above the fire. While they waited for them, Link pulled out his ocarina and began to play softly. Impa's eyes sparkled appreciatively as a lively tune filled the air. Magic surrounded him, but nothing happened, for he had not given the magic a purpose. Instead, it swirled around him, seen only by those who knew what to look for.

"That's a nice instrument you have there," she commented. Link smiled, and removed the ocarina from his lips.

"Thank you. An old friend gave this to me just before I left Hyrule for the first time quite a few years ago," he said, and proceeded to play some more. Some of the songs Impa knew; others she did not. Soon the rabbits were done, and Impa reached over to remove them. A sudden blast of wind extinguished the fire, and more blasts followed it. Link looked at Impa alarmed, and then turned his gaze to the horses. Epona and Aeron, Impa's horse, were snorting, searching for the unseen attacker.

"Magic's being used!" Impa shouted over the wind's roar. "Saddle your mare and let's get out of here!" Link nodded, but before either of them could move, magic surrounded them, freezing them in their tracks. Link covered his ears, tears streaming from his eyes. Something was causing him immense pain. Impa had no time to think on what it was, for her attention was caught up in the nauseating lights that surrounded them.

From afar, the three witches spied on the two.

"The Sheikah is caught up in the spell," Lacsis muttered.

"No matter, she will just go along with the Hero of Time," Atro declared, "This way the Princess is either unguarded or in the hands of a lesser warrior."

"Perfect for the return of Lord Ganon," Cloto cackled, "We need the Princess's blood to release him, this makes that task easier." The three cackled, and then raised their hands in the air, chanting to finish the spell. With a snap, the spell was completed; Impa and Link were sent far away from everything they knew.

When Impa woke, she could hardly remember the harrowing journey. They had traveled through a world of light, not unlike the path to the Sages' Chamber. But these lights were nauseating and hypnotizing, luring one's gaze in until they were sick and confused. It had been a long journey as well, causing the trip to be even worse than it could have been normally.

She tried to stand up, but her legs would not support her. Several more times she tried until at last she could stand successfully. The world spun for a moment, but it soon settled down. She took in her surroundings; everything was different. Instead of the tall grassed plains of Hyrule where they had once stood, she was in the middle of what had once been a battlefield. The land was rocky; huge boulders were everywhere, some looked like they had been thrown to form walls around an area. Dead still littered the plains and scorch marks were everywhere. She knelt down and inspected one by her feet.

_This looks like it was left by a deku see!_ she realized, surprised. A sudden noise caused her to look around, wary. She shifted her weight, causing several small pebbles to move.

"Dammit Impa, don't just stand there! Help me," came an angry voice. It was Link, and it sounded like he was on the other side the large rock beside her. She walked over and found Link hunched over, clutching his stomach.

"I am going to **kill** whoever did this," he muttered as Impa helped him stand. He grabbed his head with his other hand as a sudden, throbbing pain hit him.

"And then I am going to have a serious talk with Zelda about sending someone back in time." Impa raised an eyebrow; it seemed that the strange journey had released Link's memories, and he was not a happy about it.

"I assume you remember too," he began, "Otherwise Rauru wouldn't have sent you. I am going to kill him if he knew this was going to happen," he added in before conintuing, "Did you feel this awful?"

Impa shrugged, "I had a headache for a few days, but that was all. Zelda, Ruto, and Saria had really bad ones from what they told me. They did not regain their memories as soon as the other sages and I did, so from what they said and the looks of your headache, it seems that the longer it takes for the memories to be released, the worse the headache." She looked around some more, trying to get a bearing on where they were. In the distance, she could dimly see a forest, but it was hard due to all the smoke.

_I guess they're burning their dead,_ she thought, and turned to Link.

"You're the world traveler," she stated, receiving a glare, "Do you know where we are?" He looked at her, shocked.

"I thought you realized. We're in Hyrule, Impa. The question is not where we are, but when we are."

"Damn it all," she muttered. Someone had done the unthinkable; they had altered the stream of Time. No wonder Link felt so horrible; he was tied to Time so strongly that he most likely felt any misuse of it.

"Impa," Link said weakly, "I-" He never finished, for he had fainted. Impa managed to catch him before he hit the rocky ground.

_Great,_ she thought darkly,_ I'm in some time not my own, and the only person who could help is now unconscious. Goddesses, what did I do to deserve this?_ She spotted a cave not far away and half dragged, half carried Link there. Laying him down, she then went and pilfered a few cloaks that were not too damaged from the dead littering the field. She apologized to their spirits and thanked them for the cloaks. She covered Link, and then found a niche in the wall, covered in soot. There were no dead in the cave, so she took the chance that no one could see a fire if it was in the niche. With the fire lit, the cave became more livable, and she moved Link closer to the fire. He groaned in pain as she moved him, but there was nothing she could do for him. All there was left to do was sit and wait until this sickness passed. So she sat, staring out into the darkness, trying to guess which time they were in.

Unknown to Impa, she was being watched. Her watchers were undead, and they longed to go and attack the Sheikah and her helpless companion. For when Link had collapsed, the three witches had sent a message across the Time stream to the Skull King, telling him of the arrival of the Hero of Time and of all the rewards he would get from Ganon if he could kill the young man. Fortunately for Link that would be the only time they could do something like that, for they no longer had enough magic to do such a thing again. Also, the undead that surrounded the cave could feel the fire and were loath to go anywhere near it. So they sat and waited, watching the two with unblinking eyes. While the threats of the Skull King were great, so was their fear of fire.


	4. Chapter 3 Flight

Hmm… this one turned out to be much longer; oh well. Hopefully the rest will be about this long. Those of you who reviewed, thank you!

Justin Time: Thank you again for your wonderful review! I'm glad that you like Impa; she's one of my favourite characters.

Nicole Da Cat: Glad you liked it; I hope you can post stories soon! Say hello to everyone up there for me, kay?

Allyanna: Your name made me smile, as it was so similar to Allya's. I guess it's not that shocking and all, but it tickled me.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: same as it has been the last few times; I only own my copies of the games. Ganon must die…

OoOoO

Several days after their arrival, Link was well enough to sit and hold conversations. Walking and standing were still difficult, so the two remained in the cave.

"Why am I so damned sick when you're perfectly fine?" Link growled at Impa. She snorted.

"Think about it. You're the Hero of **Time**. We traveled across **Time** to get here." Link glared at her. He hated it when he was sick; it lessened his chances of being able to hold his own against Impa.

"Well, that explains why I was so sick when Zelda sent us back in Time. It had all the doctors in Castle Town confused," he muttered.

_So he's the one,_ Impa thought, amused. _Well, that would explain why no one knew what was going on._ She stood up and exited the cave. Link watched her go, wishing that he too could move around with ease. She was checking out the area, and he hoped that she would find something more palatable to eat than mashed tubers. Add to that, all he had been able to keep down the past few days was soup, so he got to have mashed tuber soup. Lucky him.

_She better beat the night,_ he thought, reflecting on what happened a couple days ago. Impa had run in, blood dripping from numerous cuts on her arms. He was still very sick, so it took a few seconds before what he saw clicked.

"Wha… what happened?" he managed to get out, as he tried to push himself up. Tried being the key word; he failed miserably at it.

"Don't get up," she snapped, "I'm fine. Now I know why everyone is in by sundown; this place is covered in undead. Stalfos, redeads, all of them." Link blinked owlishly, trying to grasp it all with his foggy mind.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I said I was fine. The day I let some undeads get the better of me is the day I let Ingo be in charge of Zelda." Link had wisely let the subject drop; it had appeared that she had been caught unawares, which was a blow to her pride as a Sheikah.

Just as the sun was setting, Impa returned. And, to Link's delight, she had a _quezle_, a large bird that could often be found in the plains, with her. No tubers tonight!

"There seems to be a large war going on at the moment," she said as she began to pluck and gut the bird. "Nobody was to keen on being near me, much less talking to me, so I don't know who is fighting who." Link waited for more, but she was silent.

"So you found a settlement?" he asked, impatient. She shook her head.

"It's more like a camp, and it was full of Hylians. I saw a couple of Sheikah signs around, but nothing more than that." She looked up at him and then looked at the fire. Link sighed and added wood, and then placed their pot above it on a makeshift hook. The pot was found in the back of the cave, and after Impa tested it, it became their cooking pot. The hook was a piece of rock that jutted out above the niche where the fire was. Link assumed that when the battle that occurred here took place someone had used this cave to live and cook in. Who, he was not sure, but it was either Sheikah, Gerudo, or Hylian. Gorons don't cook over fires, and the Zora don't use fire.

"We should probably move on from here. Either to the forest or one of the Temples," Link stated as he kept an eye on the fire. Impa nodded, and put the _quezle_ in the pot, chopped up, with chopped tubers and other plants. Link winced as he saw the tubers go in. He was beginning to detest the things.

"Do you have your ocarina?" Impa asked.

Link sighed, and shook his head. "No, it's gone. I checked while you were out. Someone else must have it in this time, and that is where it will be. I don't think it could have existed, being in the same time with itself."

"Then our best bet is the forest. Everyone seems pretty terrified of it, so you better let it know who you are quick," Impa stated, stirring the stew.

"We'll have to make it in one day," Link said, staring off into the distance. "And I doubt we can make it from here in one day. We won't be able to stop at any camps either; the inhabitants won't let us in without knowing who we are, and if we tried to tell them, well…" he left it hanging. Impa nodded.

"We'll need horses," she stated. Link looked at her skeptically.

"Where are we going to get horses?" Link asked, receiving a look from Impa. It was a look that said, _Are you really that dense?_

"Never mind," he said, leaving Impa and her plans alone.

Dinner that night was the best they had since they had arrived. Link was not able to eat anything in the stew, but he was able to keep down the broth, which, thanks to the _quezle_, tasted nothing like tubers. Neither of them spoke during the meal; there was too much to discuss. Where to go, what to do, how to get back; no, it was better for them to remain silent. Besides, who knew when an unfriendly person or animal would come by, attracted by the sound of their voices?

The next morning, Impa was gone when Link woke up. Once his head had cleared, he tried to stand up. This time he managed to get to his feet, and even stay upright for a minute or so, before he was forced to sit down again. He knew that he was probably pushing himself, but he also knew that he couldn't afford to remain helpless for much longer. And besides, he was bored.

He tried standing several more times, resting between each one. By the time noon arrived, he was exhausted. After forcing himself to have some more broth, which, to his disgust, tasted more and more like tubers, he took a nap.

He woke late in the afternoon and heard muted voices outside. The language they spoke was similar to the Sheikah tongue, but, to his ears, sounded more archaic and formal.

"Someone… in there. Tell… ? What do you suggest?" was all that he could make out. He stood up, and the voices stopped. He slowly walked over to the entrance, grabbing his bow and quiver along the way, and in the dimming light, saw three Hylians standing in front of him. Link doubted that they were the speakers, and his assumption was proved correct when the middle one spoke.

"Who are you, and what business do you have in Hylian territory?" Again, this language was a more archaic form of the Hylian tongue. Link snorted; apparently he did not look enough like a Hylian for them.

_Wonder what tipped them off?_ He asked himself as he stared at the appointed leader. _Was it the clothes, bow, or the fact that they don't recognize me? There is a war going on…_

"I asked who you are and what your business is!" The Hylian reminded him, and this time Link decided to answer him.

"My name is my own; you do not need to know it." He did not want to even think of the possibilities if people in this time found out his name. "I am from the forest. As for my business, I am returning there and merely passing through." He hid his amusement as fear passed over the face of the Hylians when he mentioned the forest. If only they knew that the 'dreaded' forest people were a bunch of children.

"Ahem, well, since you are only passing through," the leader began again, "You'll only have to pay a fine." A grin appeared on their faces, and Link began to worry. He had no money of this time and was in no condition to deal with the three.

"Do you really want to do that?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips. This was a gamble, but the only choice he had. "The Guardian's knowledge spans across the land. He'll know what you are doing, and do you really want that?" The soldiers looked at each other, nervous.

"A rule is a rule!" one said, trembling, "Everyone must pay the fine, even the forest folk." Link swore inwardly. He was about to tell them he had no money when he heard shouts and hoof beats. Two horses were galloping towards him, one on a lead and the other with Impa on its back. As the Hylians scattered, Link somehow managed to pull himself into the saddle. Impa let go of the lead, letting Link guide the creature, and he untied it from the saddle, letting it fall in the dust. The two galloped away, headed for the forest. The Hylians stared at the two and glared at the Sheikah who removed themselves from the rocks, were they had been watching.

"Where were you sneaks?" the leader demanded angrily. The Sheikah did not even bat an eye at the leader's comment.

"We do not collect the fines," he said simply. He turned to his companion and nodded towards their camp, which was a fair walk away. He did not tell the Hylians, but it had been their horses that Impa had taken. As the two headed for their camp, he focused on the strange Sheikah that had appeared out of no where. One moment the horses had been there, fine, and he had turned back to the scene between the Hylians and forest youth. Then, after hearing the horses move, he saw the strange woman on one and leading the other. Sheikah she was, but besides that he could not tell. Shadows seemed to surround her and the horses, and before he could warn the Hylians, she was charging them. Then, the youth, who had appeared to be very weak, somehow managed to pull himself into the saddle. It was all a very strange occurrence, and a very unwelcome one at that.

Impa and Link made it to the forest by midnight. They had avoided the undead because the horses moved faster, and they had gone easy on the animals during the light part of the day because of this.

"You're going to have to dismount," Link told Impa, his voice saying volumes about the exhaustion he felt. Impa slipped off, feeling nothing but respect for him. She too was amazed by his sudden ability to pull himself up while the horse was still moving at a fast canter, when even she could only do it when she was in top shape.

"Follow me, and don't say anything or attack anything, understand?" Impa nodded, following him into the silent forest.

**_Who are thee who intrude upon my domain?_** A thunderous voice demanded of them. Link winced as the sound hit his ears; his headache was still strong.

"My name is Link, Great Deku Tree, and this is my friend Impa. We seek a place to rest and answers to questions," he shouted to the forest.

**_You are not Link,_** came the angry answer,** _Link is but a child, safe within the forest!_** Link sighed.

"I know!" he shouted, "But he is me! I am the Link from another time, far in the future!"

_**The future?**_

"Aye, the future! You called me the Child of Destiny, and I am from the time when that destiny has been fulfilled!"

**_Prove that you are Link, _**came the command. Link rolled his eyes and drew up every memory he could.

"I had no fairy," he began, and the forest listened attentively. "I was teased by Mido and some of the others because of this. They called me 'the Boy without a Fairy'. My best friend was Saria, and we often explored the Lost Woods together. You got mad at us one time because we almost went to Death Mountain. We wanted to meet the Gorons; sometimes we could hear their voices, but you forbid us to ever leave the forest. When you yelled at us that day, we both felt like it was the worst day in our lives. The next day though, you called us and explained why we couldn't leave. We felt better after that, but when ever we saw the gateway to Death Mountain, we both got this uneasy feeling at the bottom of our stomachs. That's as far back as I can remember." He looked towards the center of the forest, waiting.

**_Come Link, and thy as well, Lady Sheikah. Follow the path that I have set before thou. Shouldst thou desire to leave this path, I promise nothing. _** The two nodded, and leading their horses, followed the path deep into the forest.

"We're going straight to his glade," Link muttered to himself.

**_Now Link,_** the Deku Tree began when they arrived, **_Wouldst it surprise thee to know that the reason I yelled at Saria and thy was because had thou made it to the home of the Gorons, thy wouldst have been killed?_** Link looked at him, shocked.

**_Listen._** He turned his head towards the path that lead to the village, hearing two tiny voices.

"Why was he so mad?" one sobbed.

"Don't worry Saria, it'll be okay!" the other said, trying to sound uplifting despite the tears that threatened to spill. Link took a step back. He remembered that walk; he remembered reassuring Saria in just the same manner, and then protecting her from Mido's questions. He remembered holding back his tears, so she would not see them, and then letting them loose once he made it up the tree to his room.

"Th...That was today?" he whispered. _How much had he protected us from?_ He wondered belatedly, collapsing into an unconscious heap.

Impa swore as Link hit the ground and bent over to pick him up.

**_There is a glen to thy left, Lady Sheikah. Take Link there; the horses shall follow thee._** Impa did as she was told and lay Link down. She then took care of the horses before she too lay down.

**_Rest in peace, none shall harm thee, _**was the last thing she heard before sleep hit her. She slept deeply; it was the first real sleep she'd had in days, and she needed it. Age is hard to tell with the Sheikah, but Impa was not young anymore. In fact, her grandchildren were nearing the age when they could marry, not that they would. Life was no longer as kind to the Sheikah leader, but she had no intention of stopping.

Meanwhile, the two Sheikah from the cave had made it back to their camp unharmed. They immediately went to the leader's tent, where they began their report.

"This young man, you are sure he is from the forest?" they were asked.

The two looked at each other and shrugged. "His clothing was odd; the tunic was forest green, easily seen anywhere but in the forest. His accent and word choice was odd; it sounded like he spoke some odd version of Hylian. And he could hear us, so his ears are better than Hylian ones."

"And his bow," the other said, "He carried an odd looking bow. It was short, but the ends curved opposite of the middle. It resembled a horse bow, but it was slightly larger. He held it as if he knew what he was doing, and when he heard of the fine to pass the plains, he prepared to string it." The leader nodded.

"And of the other?"

"She was of Sheikah blood, most defiantly. The horses allowed her, and the young man, to ride them, so they must have been trained by Sheikah. It's just…" the speaker shook his head, not willing to believe that the shadows around her were real.

"Say what's on your mind," the leader said gently, "These are strange events, and I have the feeling they are only going to get stranger." The scout nodded, and continued his report.

"The Sheikah, she appeared out of no where. One moment no one was near the horses, and the next she was taking off with them. Also, shadows surrounded her. They disappeared as she left, so it appears that she was using them to hide herself. But who has control over the shadows?" The leader sighed; these were indeed troubling events.

"Very well; I will think over this. Go and get some rest, we must move camp tomorrow." The two bowed their heads and left. The news did not surprise them; the camp was always being moved. It was troublesome, but it kept them alive. With or without their allies in the figure, the Sheikah were the most hated tribe on the land. The undead had a reason for killing and attacking; they were forced too by their necromancer king. But the Sheikah had no excuse in the eyes of the other tribes for being attached to the shadows and darkness. Demons, some said. Tainted by the dead, said others. In the end, it mattered not, but it was troublesome for the Sheikah.

_Tomorrow, tomorrow we leave for the Temple,_ the leader thought as he sat down, _No one will reach us their. No one dares to even come near. Then, then I can deal with the forest youth and this shadow wielding Sheikah._

A/N: I made Link's bow like a Mongolian horse bow; when it is unstrung, it is curved instead of straight like a long bow. I believe it's called a recurved bow. His bow is larger than the Mongolian horse bow, but it is considerably smaller than a long bow (it's not anywhere near six feet ;). He still gets great range, but it's more compact and easier to deal with on horse back.

Also, ancient Sheikan and Hylian is basically the same as present day versions of both languages, but they have more levels of respect built into them and the accent is different. Hence why Link can still understand everyone and they can understand him.


	5. Chapter 4 The Stage is Set

Justin Time: Thanks again

Killer-Kobloods: Here you go, now no potato throwing! They hurt!

A/N: No Link and Impa in this one; it's everyone elses's turn to shine!

The Hylian king fumed as he sprawled in an elegant chair, which replaced his destroyed throne. The three soldiers stood in front of him, nervous, and his younger brother stood on his right, slightly behind the chair.

"So you let this arrogant youth escape?" he asked, his voice dangerously quiet. The leader shifted nervously, wondering what to say.

"Perhaps you should hear the entire story, brother," a soft voice said. The king nodded, and the soldier immediately began.

"We headed to the cave that Your Excellency used during the battle on the plains, for the Sheikah had alerted us of someone inhabiting it. We arrived, and a young man, who appeared to be about Your Majesty's nephew's age, stood in the mouth of the cave. He did not look to be in the best of health. When he was asked his name and business, he said nothing. After asking for the second time, he refused to give his name but said that he was from the forest." The king and his brother stared at the soldier, shocked. A person who hailed from the forest was out?

"He refused to pay the fine and threatened to tell the Guardian of the Forest. Then, a Sheikah woman arrived on horseback and leading one; the youth mounted the other horse, while it was still moving, and the two were off for the forest." The soldiers stood there, fidgeting, as their king digested the news.

"What of the Sheikah that were with you?"

The soldiers scowled, "They did not even move once they had found the cave." The other soldier nodded.

"It is true, My King. What's more, there were horse tracks leading up to where they hid. I have never known Sheikah to be without a mount, and they left on foot. I think the horses that the Sheikah woman had were theirs." The king nodded.

"Very well, you are dismissed. Send a messenger to Izal; I wish to speak to him about the actions of his scouts. The guards nodded, bowed low, and left, leaving their king and prince alone.

"Perhaps the horses were stolen," the prince said, trying to turn his brother's thoughts from treachery.

"Perhaps," the king admitted, "But I have never heard of someone, even another Sheikah, being able to steal two horses from behind two Sheikah." The prince sighed.

"Aegri, please, I seriously doubt that Izal would go against you."

Aegri glared at his younger brother, "That, my dear brother, is the reason why I am king and you are merely prince. Tell me Kelvin, why should I not suspect him of treachery?" Kelvin sighed; there was just no reasoning with his brother.

"Very well, I shall trust your judgment as king. If you will excuse me, Your Majesty, I will go make sure that the note is sent off." He bowed, and then headed to where the soldiers would be sending the note off. He arrived just as the leader of the three finished telling the clerk what to write.

"Excuse me," he said as he neared them, "But I need to add something to that note before you send it." The soldier nodded and moved out of the way.

"Would you like to write it, or shall I Prince Kelvin?" the clerk asked politely, knowing Kelvin's fondness for secrecy.

"I shall, and thank you for your thoughtfulness." The clerk nodded, and handing the letter and quill over, left the prince to his writing. The soldier noted that he would not be needed anymore and left.

Kelvin grimaced as he read the letter. The clerks knew exactly what Aegri wanted when he meant 'a note'.

_To Izal, leader of the Sheikah, from Aegri, king of the Hylians and overlord of the great plains of this land and the high magic,_

_It has come to my attention that due to the lack of contribution from_

_two of your scouts that a person not of the Hylian nor Sheikah tribes was able_

_to journey across the plains without paying the toll. I should like to speak _

_with you on this matter, as it brings in to doubt your loyalty concerning our _

_alliance._

_By my hand,_

_Aegri, sixth king of the Hylians_

Kelvin stared at the paper, dipped the quill in the ink and began his own note at the bottom of the page.

_Izal, greetings._

_As the above note tells you, Aegri again doubts your loyalty._

_I believe that this time he plans to cut the alliance completely, and he may _

_even be crazy enough to order your execution. **Do not** come alone my _

_friend, I beg of you. If you must come alone, then come to my place first, and I will accompany you to Aegri. He does not have the power to order me out, and he dares not order your death in my presence._

_Zel and Selen send their love. Zel says that if you do not come and visit soon she will be very put out, and Aedan intends to have you fulfill your promise next time you visit. Should you ever need anything, you know where to come._

_Keep well my friend,_

_Kelvin_

He folded the note, sealed it with a wax seal bearing the emblem of the Hylians: a Triforce symbol with upsweeping laurels beneath it. He handed the note to the clerk, who placed it in a protective cover, sealed the cover with a line of wax, and gave it to the waiting messenger. Kelvin then left, headed for his own tent, where his wife, daughter, and son waited.

The letter reached Izal almost a seven day later. The Sheikah are not easy to find, so it was decided that all letters for them would be taken to a secure spot, where they would be picked up every third or fourth day. The fact that the Sheikah were still on the move to the Shadow Temple when the message was sent did not help.

Izal was not surprised when he read the letter. Both of the messages were what he was used to, though Kelvin's words warmed his heart some, as they always did. Zelda, or Zel as she liked to be called, was his niece and very close to his heart. Aedan, the eldest of the two, was a prodigy with the blade, and he was always eager to learn more. Kelvin and Aegri were his brothers-in-law, though Aegri was keen to forget that.

Izal closed his eyes in pain when he thought of his wife. Almost thirty years had passed since she was killed, but the pain never seemed to lessen. Xyli had been nothing like her older brother, Aegri. She was kind, courteous and always had a smile on her face. Instead of the pale golden hair her brothers had, hers was more of a golden honey colour. Her eyes, like all of the royal family's, were violet, and they were always twinkling with inner laughter. Where Kelvin was calm, she was constantly moving. They had one child, a beautiful baby boy who had inherited his ice blue eyes.

One day, while she was visiting a Hylian camp, it was attacked. By who, no one knew. Fire was used, but the attack was in the dead of the night. The Zora do not attack with fire, and there were no boulders around, excluding the Gorons as well. The Gerudo always attacked on horseback, and no horse tracks were found. Personally, Izal thought all three tribes to have too much honour to attack a defenseless camp. There were only woman and children, with a few soldiers. He knew that it was undead that had attacked, but the presence of the fire confused him then, and it still did now.

They had found her body near the forest; their son was no where to be found. Izal had refused to see anyone for a seven day after they found her; his sister was left in charge while he grieved. Xyli and he had been married as part of the alliance between the Hylians and the Sheikah, five years after the war had begun. He had not understood why that term had been included, but later he thought that it may have been because Aegri had wanted a spy in the Sheikah camp. The two of them had fallen deeply in love, and Xyli had taken to being a Sheikah as quickly as a shadow takes to night. Aegri, had he wanted her to be a spy, was out of luck. After the seven days of grieving had ended, Izal had emerged from his tent and took up command again. Nothing changed, but smiles did not come to his face as often, and he spoke even less. He had lost his only child, and so his entire reason for remaining alive was to protect his people. They were his children, and he was devoted to their safety.

Izal stood up, sending his gloomy thought away. He strode to the center of the caravan, calling for his sister. She came over, and the two stepped aside to talk. They were obviously related; they shared the ice blue eyes that were very unusual amongst the Sheikah and had similar facial structure. Like all Sheikah, they had white hair; Izal's was kept at his shoulders and his sister's, when not tied up, fell past her waist.

"Well brother, may your great sister do for you today?" she asked, teasing.

Izal ignored her tone and answered. "Our great ally has summoned me to discuss my loyalty," he said simply.

Isra scowled, "Can I go instead? Maybe then he'll stop calling you for useless reasons." Izal laughed.

"I am supposed to be the protective one, little sister. I shall be fine; Kelvin has offered me his protection, and I think I shall take it. Besides, I have not seen little Zel in ages."

"I doubt she is little anymore. She will be thirteen this year, correct?" Isra asked. She too was fond of the fiery young girl. It was her opinion that Zel would make a fine Sheikah, but she kept that to herself.

"Yes, she will, and her brother will be nineteen. He comes of age this year. Anyways, we should arrive at the Temple tomorrow. After everyone is in, I will leave for the Hylian camp. You are in charge; everyone must be settled as quickly as possible. The Sage's chamber is off limits; the Sage of Light has permitted us to us the Temple as long as we leave that chamber empty. Understood?"

Isra nodded gravely; it was troubling that they were forced to use the Temple, for there was no way out besides the entrance that anyone knew of. It worried her, for they had always had a way out; always. Izal sighed, and the two watched the caravan move on. Isra glanced at him, and she was sobered by the amount her brother had aged. Laughter kept the soul young, and Izal had had little of that for thirty years. He alone was burdened by the song that would open the Door of Time when played with the Ocarina of Time. All the Sheikah knew the song that would warp them to the Shadow Temple, Izal had made sure of that. In the time that he had led the Sheikah, their casualty numbers had gone down. All his work had taken its toll though, and it could be seen in the lines on his forehead and by his eyes. She never told her brother, but he worried her.

In the Gerudo camp, a young man was brought before their King. The youth was a prisoner of war, and a profitable one at that. His violet eyes, flashing in anger, and his pale, spun gold hair marked him as part of the Hylian royal family. His name was Aedan, and he was Prince Kelvin's son and nephew to King Aegri.

The Gerudo king smirked as he surveyed the young man. He stood up and walked around, taunting him.

"Well, well. Like father like son it seems. Was it only twenty six years ago that your father stood in a similar position before me?"

Aedan ground his teeth, refusing to respond to the Gerudo's taunts. The tall king stopped in front of him, his reddish brown eyes looking at him in amusement. He spun around, his long hair flying, and gave orders for Aedan to be put in a holding cell.

"A nice one," he ordered, "The better condition our princeling is in, the more money we receive." Two Gerudo women grinned and carried out their king's orders. Hauling Aedan by his bound arms, they dragged him down to the bottom of the clay building, where he was thrown into a cell. It was dry and had a bed, but it was still a cell.

Once they were gone, Aedan flopped down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. His thoughts roamed to earlier in the day, when his small group of soldiers had been ambushed by the Gerudo. All had been killed, except for him. He grieved for the deaths of the twenty odd soldiers; they had been good men. However, they were not good enough to recognize the signs of a Gerudo attack. The mounted attackers had swooped in, and just as quickly, swooped out with an extra person.

_At least they all died instantly,_ Aedan thought bleakly, trying to garner some hope from the situation. No one would be lying on the hard ground, waiting as his life slowly drained away, watching the buzzards.

Soon the young man was asleep; the day had exhausted him. Aedan took after his father in many ways. Instead of ranting and yelling as his uncle did, he merely sat back and analysed the situation. Soft words instead of threats were used, and he never dwelled on what he could not change, or he tried very hard not to. Aedan did not know it, for his father spoke very little about his time locked up, but he was mimicking his father's actions to the tee. Kelvin, when he had been put in his cell, did the only thing he could: sleep. The similarity amused his captor, who had asked for a detailed account of Aedan's actions.

Meanwhile, in the Hylian camp, Kelvin was worried about his son.

"He should have been here hours ago," he muttered, pacing. His wife, who was cooking dinner, chided him.

"Since when have patrols come in on time?" she demanded. "And how many times have I waited up late for you when you return hours later than when you said you'd be back?" Kelvin sighed; there was no point in even trying to answer. His daughter, just turned thirteen, giggled from her seat at the window.

"Mom's right; besides, Aedan can take care of himself." Her violet eyes twinkled, and Kelvin allowed himself to relax. They were right, of course. That thought though, did not keep him from staring out the window that faced the gates.

A small arm slipped itself around his waist. He looked over to see his wife's deep green eyes and her knowing smile.

"He'll be back, don't worry." He smiled and leaned over, kissing her forehead. A disgusted noise from the window seat drew their attention to the blonde haired girl.

"Disgusting…" she muttered. Selen grinned, drew her husband close, and passionately kissed him. When they withdrew, Zelda was gone, hiding behind the padded bench. The two laughed. Selen returned to the kitchen area while Kelvin proceeded to tease his daughter heartlessly.

"You know Zel, one day you are going to have to kiss someone," he said.

"I know," came her miserable reply, "But it's not like you have to kiss in front of me…" He laughed and pulled her up from her seated position.

"We are just looking out for you; we want you to be prepared for that day," he said as he tried, unsuccessfully, to smother another laugh. The disgust on her face was just too funny.

When dinner rolled around, a plate was set aside for Aedan in hope that he would soon arrive. He did not, and the family had a pleasant, although empty feeling, dinner. Afterwards, Kelvin offered to clean up. Selen relinquished the task gladly, and Zelda helped her father. Hoof beats at the gate distracted him; the horse appeared to be a Gerudo breed. Zelda noticed her father's gaze and offered to finish. A look of indecision flitted across his face, replaced by one of gratitude.

"Thanks sweety; I'll be back soon, okay?" She nodded, and he kissed her on the top of her head, chuckling at her grimace.

"Where are you going?" Selen asked as he grabbed a cloak.

"Just to Aegri's place; he'll know who the rider was. I'll be back as soon as I can." She nodded, received his quick kiss, and watched him go. Selen walked over to Zelda and began to help her.

"I can do it; you don't have to help Mom," she protested, but Selen just shook her head. Something was bothering her, and she needed to keep busy. Zelda, noticing the masked worry on her mother's face, said nothing. She had been like this when Kelvin had been badly wounded, always moving, always busy.

When Kelvin arrived at the King's house, if that's what the hastily erected structures could be called, he heard orders for someone to fetch him.

"I am here already," he called out as he hung his cloak. He walked over to Aegri, whose sobered face shocked him. News either made the king happy or angry; there was never any sadness expressed.

"Kelvin, the message was from the Gerudo king. He sent us a ransom note." Aegri stared at Kelvin, who had all of a sudden paled.

"Goddesses, no…" he breathed, "Not… not Aedan?" Aegri nodded, and he groaned. Now he knew why his brother's face had held the sad expression; besides being his nephew, Aedan was his heir.

"What does he want?" he asked Aegri, his voice harsh.

"Kelvin, now is not the time. Go back to your family; we'll discuss it in the morning." Kelvin gave a short, bitter laugh.

"What does he want, Aegri? I'm not going to sleep anyways, so just tell me." Aegri sighed, and the attendants looked at each other in wonder. The capture of his nephew had hit the king hard; normally, he would not take this kind of disrespect from anyone, including his brother.

"He wants the land from the eastern edge of Lake Hylia to the desert." Kelvin stared at him, shocked.

"Damn him," he muttered. Aegri looked at his younger brother, worried. So often it was he who showed temper, and Kelvin who calmed him down. However, this matter concerned the Gerudo, and ever since his capture twenty six years ago, Kelvin had always been touchy about the Gerudos.

"Go home Kelvin," Aegri urged lightly. Kelvin looked around and acquiesced.

"Yes, yes I think I will." He turned around and left without bowing, but Aegri forgave him the lack of courtesy. The door slammed, marking Kelvin's departure

"Guard!" Aegri called, and a soldier stepped up. "Follow him and make sure he returns to his house safely." The guard bowed and left, silently tailing the prince.

When Kelvin reached his door, he noticed the guard. The fact that it took him so long to notice the man annoyed him, despite the fact that he was not thinking clearly.

"Wait here; I need you to escort my daughter to the Goodwife Glenn's house." He entered the house, and the guard patiently waited outside.

When they heard the door open, Selen and Zelda rushed over. The wait had taxed both of their nerves, and they wanted nothing more than to hear that everything was alright. The sight of Kelvin's face destroyed that hope, and Selen began to frantically worry for her son.

"Pappa, what is it? What's wrong?" Zelda asked, worried by her father's expression. He sighed and pushed her towards her room.

"Go pack your bag for the night," he told her, "A guard is waiting outside to escort you to Goodwife Glenn's house." Any other night, Zelda would have jumped for joy. Her best friend was the Goodwife's daughter, but tonight, she wanted to spend with her parents.

"Kelvin, are you sure? What is it?" Selen asked, becoming more frantic.

"Yes, I'm sure. Zelda, go pack your bag," he said again, his tone firm. Zelda knew better than to disobey when he used that tone of voice, so she went to her room and began to stuff her night shirt and a dress into a bag.

Kelvin looked at his wife and pulled her close.

"The Gerudo have Aedan," he whispered in her ear. Selen gasped, not willing to believe it.

"They can-" she began before she choked. Tears streamed down, and she buried her face in his chest.

"Pappa? What's wrong with Mom?" a small voice asked. Kelvin looked at his daughter, battling with himself over whether or not to tell her.

"If I tell you, will you go to the Goodwife's and be good?" he asked, suddenly very tired. Zelda nodded meekly.

"The Gerudo are holding Aedan hostage," he said softly, and Zelda's eyes grew large.

"No! NO!" she shouted, dropping her bag, "NO! They can't!" Selen let go of her husband and walked over to her daughter.

"Sweety," she began, but Zelda would not let her get anywhere.

"They can't! He wasn't going anywhere near them!" Tears flooded from her eyes. Kelvin walked over and engulfed his daughter in a big hug.

"They can and will capture anyone they can," he said soothingly. "They caught me, after all." Zelda sniffled, her temper worked out.

"But it's not right; it's not fair," she whispered. He released her and wiped away a few tears.

"Life is not fair honey," her mother whispered as she sat down on a chair. Zelda scrubbed away the remaining tears with the back of her hand.

"I'm ready to go now," she said, her lip quivering. Kelvin had to smile at her strength. He gave her a hug and sent her out to the guard. He and Selen watched as the tall man escorted the small girl down the road. He was carrying her bag, and she kicked rocks along the way, wiping her hand across her face every now and then.

Selen was about to stand up when a violent sob racked her body. Tears started streaming again, and she hid her face in her hands. Kelvin wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. Selen was not a strong person; her body was frail and her constitution weak. Sobs tore out of her throat, and she shook as her despair increased. Kelvin rubbed her back, murmuring soothing words.

Twenty one years ago he had returned, his ransom finally paid, to his bride of five years. Three days after their wedding, he was forced to lead a patrol party as news of increased Gerudo activity reached his late father's ears. His entire troupe had been killed, and he was imprisoned until the ransom demanded was paid. His father died shortly after that; he was told it was from the shock and grief caused by his capture. For whatever reason, he did not care what, it was five years until he was released. When he returned and entered his house, Selen had been in the kitchen, preparing dinner. There was a second plate on the table.

"Who is the guest?" he had asked, and she whirled around. The next thing he knew, she had her arms wrapped around his neck, and she was crying.

"It's for you, silly. It's been there for five years, waiting for you." Happiness overtook him, and he hugged her back.

Kelvin smiled sadly at the memory and released his wife, whose sobbing had died down.

"It'll be alright; we'll get him back," he told her, feeling less confidant than what his words revealed. There was no way Aegri would hand over the land demanded, for blood kin or not. Kelvin stood up and put the kettle over the fire. When it boiled, he poured it into two cups with tea bags. He then returned to his wife and handed her one of the cups. As the night wore on, they stayed up, drinking tea and talking. Neither of them could sleep for worry.


	6. Chapter 5 The People of Shadow

A/N: Link is back! Everybody cheer!

Ok, you don't have to.

Justin Time: It was kind of weird, having a chapter with no main character. Well, he threw a fit and is now back.

Killer-Kobloods/dodges potatoes/ Evil! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeevil!

Allyanna: Thank you!

Darmuni pounded his fist against the rock wall. It reverberated throughout the cavern, causing many Gorons to poke their heads out in confusion. When they saw that it was just their king, releasing steam, they returned to what they had been doing.

The king was worried; his son had not been found. The young Goron had slipped past the guards at sundown and had wandered out into the night. His absence was not noted until late after he had left, and no one expected to find him. At the very best, some of the shadow walkers, the Goron term for the Sheikah, had found him and taken him to their leader. At the very worst, the undead had him. Darmuni did not know if the undead would kill the youth or keep him alive, causing him great worry.

He hollered for a messenger, and a frazzled looking Goron appeared.

"I want a message sent to the leader of the Shadow Walkers, goro. Tell him that I will be willing to allow them to rebuild their village on the foothills, should he be able to get information on my grandson. I care not what the information is; I just want to know if he lives or not!" The messenger took down the message and headed out, wishing he did not have to be the one to find the elusive Sheikah.

Darmuni sighed as he returned to his chamber at the bottom of the cavern. He was tired of fighting. His father, rest his soul, had died at an early age four years ago. An early age for Gorons, that is. Their race was long lived, and his father had only been in his early hundreds. Most lived to their middle or late hundreds; Darmuni himself was only 111.

"Big Brother?" a tentative voice asked. Darmuni turned to the speaker and indicated that he continue.

"The Zora representative is here, goro. He wishes to speak of peace." Darmuni nodded and followed the messenger. As he entered the room in which the ambassador waited, he took in the Zora's appearance. Like all of his kind, his scales were mostly pale blue; some were dark blue and every shade between the two. He was well built and had scars to prove his participation in battle. The Zora's fins were translucent and hung limply in the dry cavern.

"What may I do for you?" Darmuni asked in heavily accented Hylian. The Hylian language was used as a universal language, as Goron could only be spoken by the rock eaters and Zora only by the fish people. Sheikah had been dismissed because it was both a verbal and nonverbal language, with double meanings and unique pronunciations. Most Hylians had trouble speaking it. As for Gerudo, that language was one of harsh sounds that the Gorons spoke easily, but the Zora could not be understood when they spoke, as their tongue was one of soft, easy sounds, nor could they understand it.

"My king wishes to postpone our antagonism for a time," the Zora replied, in equally accented Hylian.

"May I inquire why?" the Goron asked, curious. The Zora raised his eye ridges and sniffed.

"Let it suffice that he is granting you respite out of the kindness of his heart." Darmuni snorted; the proud manner of the Zoras' annoyed him.

"No truce will be drawn until I know the cause," Darmuni responded gruffly, "And that is final." The Zora sighed; he had been ordered to tell the reason only if the Gorons proved difficult.

"The King's youngest daughter has disappeared, and he wishes to use his resources to find the prince instead of fighting." Darmuni tucked that bit of information in the back of his mind; it seemed that he was not the only one with a missing family member.

"Very well," Darmuni said after a moment of silence, "I agree to this truce. I have one condition: that once the princess has been found and your king can give more thought to the matter, I wish to speak of long time peace." The Zora nodded; he would relay the message to King Zora. Darmuni excused himself and left; the Zora representative left Death Mountain not long after. He had heard the shouting, and if he even though he did not understand Goron fully, he understood enough to know that something was wrong in the cavern. Someone close to the Goron leader was missing, and Darmuni was willing to seek the Sheikah's help. The representative shuddered at the thought of the mysterious people. 'Shadow Walkers' was an apt name for the race; in the dark areas, they were invisible and, should cause merit, deadly. He had a lot to tell his king.

It was well over a week before Link was fully coherent. The magic of the forest had kept him sleepy, allowing him to fully heal. Impa was allowed to rest and question the Deku Tree to her heart's delight.

"So who leads the Sheikah now?" she was asking when Link entered the Deku Tree's meadow.

**_His name is Izal,_** the tree replied, **_And he is a just leader. The Sheikah have fared well since he came in power. _**

"He sounds like the one to talk to," Link remarked as he drew up beside Impa. She ran a quick eye over him, and, satisfied that he was as well as he could be, did not nag him about resting.

"Aye, since those Hylians seemed to be very untrusting," she replied. The Deku Tree grimaced, a strange look on his carved features.

**_The king of the Hylians is a trying man. Plots and treachery run through his mind, and through those of who he commands. Shouldst thou need to speak to a Hylian, speak to the prince. He is a man of sound judgment._** Link nodded.

"Before we seek either out, we should find Rauru. He will know where to find everyone, and hopefully be able to give us a clearer idea of what is going on." He gave an apologetic look at the Deku Tree before he could respond.

"Your help has been most appreciated," he said quickly, "But Rauru has a better understanding of the intrigues and structure of this time."

**_Thy speaks quicker now, Link,_** the Deku Tree said, chuckling. **_I shall watch for thee; shouldst thy need respite, return to here._** Link and Impa heartily thanked the Deku Tree. After a good meal, they tacked up their horses and prepared to leave. Link looked up at the Deku Tree and asked for one last favour.

"Sir, when you send me on the quest to retrieve the Spiritual Stones and help Princess Zelda, can you not tell me about this? Can you not tell me about this at all? It's just, well, it would seem very odd, and it would probably scare me into not leaving the forest."

_**I understand. But Link, scared was thee?**_

Link gave a rueful grin, "I was scared out of my mind. I had no idea what was going on. Good bye, Great Deku Tree, and thank you." He turned his horse around and the two left. The journey out was quicker and more cheerful, which contrasted greatly with the scene outside the forest. Desolate hills marred the landscape, and the sky had a grey tinge to it, giving all who passed under it a gloomy feeling. Hyrule was not a pleasant place to be in.

"He's let us out facing the Temple," Impa noted. Despite being sent back three hundred odd years, she had not lost her sense of direction. Link nodded and urged his horse on, with Impa close behind. They needed to make it there before nightfall, for neither had any wish to see the undead again.

"How long did it take you to reach Castle Town?" Impa called over as they cantered across the plains.

"A couple of days," Link hollered back, "But I was on foot and fresh out of the forest. I did not travel as fast as I possibly could have; I spent quite some time taking in what the outside looked like." The Temple, the sole building along the landscape, seemed to be as far away as it had been when they started out. They both knew the deception of distances and did not loose heart, no matter how long they rode or how far away it seemed.

Just as night fell, they made it. The two dismounted and led their panting horses up the steps and into the Temple itself. After loosening the girths and removing the bridles, they let the horses wander around and walked over to the Door of Time.

"I can't open it," Link stated sadly, "Can you do anything with your Sage's power?" Impa shrugged and pulled out her medallion. Softly chanting, she held it above her head. Shadows surrounded her, proof that she was the Sage of Shadow, and the Door opened. In front of them stood a man in orange robes, which were a bit too big, and he had white hair and a white mustache. It was none other than Rauru, the Sage of Light.

"Who are you to bear the power of one of the Sages?" he demanded.

"I am Impa of the Sheikah, the Sage of Shadow, and I am not of this time," Impa told him, and shock spread across Rauru's face.

"How is this possible? Time can not be meddled with!"

"Yes it can, Rauru," Link stated quietly. Rauru stared at him, noticing him for the first time.

"How so?" he demanded. Link sighed.

"The proper way is to use the Ocarina of Time, and only in small increments." Impa held back a snort; seven years was a small increment? Link glared at her and continued.

"However, it should only be done by the one Time has allowed. Should anyone else do it, Time is horribly mangled; even if it is done with the best of intentions." A reference to Zelda there, Impa noted.

"Here, let me show you." And in the dust, Link drew two parallel lines.

"This is the Time stream," he began, "And when it is given proper respect, it stays this way. Even my meddling with it in Hyrule and Termina did not affect it; Time had given me permission to do so due to the alternatives." Impa raised her eyebrows when he mentioned Termina; she would have to ask him about that place later. Link ran his finger through the dust again, marring the straight lines of the Time stream.

"When Time is tampered with by someone else, whether by magic or by using the Ocarina, it is marred. The stream is no longer straight; it now has bends and snarls. This is what happened when we were sent back here." Rauru looked at Link, his eyes full of concern.

"So you must be the Hero of Time that the Sages' saw. I never thought that our vision would come so soon." Link stood up and dusted himself off.

"I am not of this Time though," he said softly, "I only wish to return to my own. But I will help all that I can," he added, seeing the crestfallen look on Rauru's face.

"Very well," Rauru finally said, "I will look for a way to return you to your time. Go to the Sheikah leader; they are currently hiding in the Shadow Temple. Take this; I'm sure it will aid you." He reached into one of his pockets and pulled out an ocarina that strongly resembled Saria's. Link took it and looked at it in wonder.

"The Forest Sage left it when he moved on," Rauru explained. Link nodded, and Rauru stepped back.

"Good luck," he called out as the Door of Time shut. Link turned to Impa and brought the ocarina to his lips.

"Hang on to my arm," he said, and began to play the Nocturne of Shadow.

Impa felt the Temple fade from them, music filling her ears. She had never traveled to the Shadow Temple this way. Soon they were at the entrance, and she chuckled as she let go of Link.

"I like you're way of moving from place to place more," she joked. Link grinned,

"Yeah, it is nice not to feel sick when you arrive somewhere." He pocketed the ocarina, and the two entered the Temple. They leapt across the small chasm and walked through the false wall, and were immediately surrounded by the small, deadly swords that the Sheikah used. Link groaned, even though he understood their caution.

"Look," he said softly, in Sheikah, "We're not here to attack or anything; we just want to speak to Izal." None of the Sheikah moved, though glances were passed back when Link mentioned their leader's name.

"He speaks the truth," a voice said from the shadows, "Stand back. This is the forest boy that the scouts brought news of." The Sheikah sheathed their weapons and disappeared into the shadows. Impa turned to where the speaker was and bowed with her right arm across her chest. A woman emerged, a wry grin on her features.

"Welcome to the Shadow Temple. I am Isra, standing in for my brother, Izal. Who are you and what may I do for you?" Her words were spoken simply enough, but both Link and Impa understood the hidden meaning. They were trusted, to be given a name, but should they misuse that trust, they would be dead. They were in Sheikah territory, and there was no way out without being noticed.

"I am the Sage of Shadows," Impa began, "And my name shall remain unknown." At this Isra raised an eyebrow at Impa's perceived rudeness. She had given her name and expected one in return. Link cut in.

"We mean no disrespect," he said softly, "But our names will have to remain known to us alone. We come from another time, far in the future, and should we change anything, even if it is only giving a name or two, the future could be changed drastically, and that must not happen." Isra looked at the two, shocked.

"You speak mere folly!" she exclaimed, "No one can alter time!" Link sighed; he could not afford to tell someone how to alter time. Rauru was fine, for he was trapped in the Sacred Realm, but someone on Hyrule could not be trusted with this information.

"I speak the truth," he said, "And I can not tell you how, but believe me, it is very possible." Isra stared at them, indecision hidden by her well schooled face.

"Very well, I trust you. Why, I know not." She turned and beckoned for the two to follow her. They were lead to a room deep in the Temple; it was not too far from the Sage's Chamber. A large table was the room's focus; Isra sat at one end and indicated for the other two to pick a seat.

"I assume that you want your reasons for being here to remain your own, so I will not ask. What can I do for you?" She asked.

Impa looked at Link, who indicated that she speak to Isra.

"Rauru, the Sage of Light, told us to come here and speak to Izal. We will help all we can, and in exchange, he is looking for a way to return us to our time. Can you tell us what is going on?"

Isra nodded, "I can, but it will be a long tale." The two looked at her; they were comfortable and could hear out any tale. She sighed and began.

"No one is really sure how it started, but from what Izal has discerned, it was mainly due to the Skull King. He leads the undead; no one knows if he is dead or living, but he is a necromancer. Izal believes that he started this war in order to allow him easier access to the Triforce keys. The dead, when caught, boast of serving a great king of evil that will be released. We assume that the Skull King is a follower of this evil king, and that he needs the Triforce keys to release him. Each race holds one; the Gorons, Zora, and the forest people hold a Spiritual Stone each; we hold the song that will open the Door of Time; the Hylians have the Ocarina of Time, and the Gerudo possess the Master Sword." Link frowned at the mention of the sword.

"How did they get it?" he asked.

Isra shrugged, "No one knows. But one thing is certain, they can not use it. Anyways, the tribes have been fighting for thirty years now. The Sheikah and Hylians joined in alliance the fifth year of fighting. That was the year after the old king died and Aegri took the Hylian throne."

"We were told by the De-, umm, by the protector of the forest to watch out for the Hylian king and speak to the prince instead," Impa remarked. Isra nodded.

"That is wise advice. Kelvin, the prince, is nothing like his brother. He was captured by the Gerudos early on in the war and was ransomed after his father's death. Despite his dislike of the Gerudos, he is a just man and gives each race respect. He honours his word, unlike his brother. After all these years, Aegri is thinking about ending the alliance between his people and mine. After his sister died, he has been longing for this moment." A rueful grin appeared on Isra's face as she spoke.

"After you took the scout's horses, Aegri pounced. I think he plans to use that, plus the scout's inaction, as proof that Izal is working against him." Impa rolled her eyes.

"I am sorry," she began, but Isra waved away the apology.

"It's nothing. He's a paranoid maniac, and always will be."

"What does his sister's death have to do with all of this?" Link asked softly. Isra sighed, her smile gone.

"As part of the treaty, Izal wed Aegri's younger sister, Xyli. We never were sure why that condition was added in, but it was. At first, it was like any other arranged marriage; they gave each other their space and rarely spoke. She made a good Sheikah though, and the two fell in love. Well, a year later or so, they had a son." Isra smiled at the memory.

"He was a cute babe, always smiling. He inherited Izal's and my father's blue eyes, which amused many of the elders. They claimed we were taking over with our strange eyes." Impa laughed, for compared to the other Sheikah's dark eyes, Isra's were indeed strange. Link, however, grew extremely quiet.

"Their happiness was not to last though," Isra continued in a more somber tone, "Xyli was on her way to visit her brothers with her son about five months after he was born. She had stopped at a Hylian camp and had been escorted by a couple of Hylian soldiers. That night, the camp was attacked. No one survived. We found her body near the forest, laid out in preparation for burial. No one knows what happened to the boy. Aegri, of course, blamed Izal. Izal had enough sense to ignore him, but her death hit him hard. And ever since then, Aegri has been yearning for a chance to cut the treaty. Why I do not know, for without the Sheikah, the Hylians have a small chance of making it as well as they have been." She shrugged her shoulders, and then continued the tale, adding in more current details. Impa stood up and began to pace, and would occasionally ask Isra to clarify a point. Link, however, was in his own world.

_**Your mother was a Hylian woman. . . From the time before the King of Hyrule united the tribes. . . She had been gravely injured and had fled to the forest for safety…**_

Link remembered the Deku Tree's words all too well. Everyone had commented on his eyes; they were an icy blue, a shade rarely seen at all. Now this Sheikah woman, who, now that he had looked close enough, had the same eye colour as him, was saying that her brother's son had ice blue eyes and was half Hylian. It was all too much for him to take in.

Link stood up abruptly, and, excusing himself, he left the room. He made his way through the Temple, remembering it from the alternate time. He found a high, deserted ledge and decided to sit there. Staring out across the room, he thought more on Isra's words.

_Had I remained with my family, **if** they are my family, I would be twenty four years old, and a trained Sheikah._

He fingered the earring on his left ear; Impa had given it to him when he fought Ganondorf. She had said it was a Sheikah marking. Somehow, it had traveled back with him.

_It's funny how life turns out,_ he thought_, I was told not to feel bad because I was given it and was not a Sheikah. Yet, if I'm right, then there never was any need to feel sorry._

He sat there for a while, thinking. Lost in his thoughts, he did not notice a figure appear out of thin air behind him. The cloaked figure quickly hid himself and watched Link. Footsteps then shook Link out of his reverie, and he looked up to see a Sheikah approaching him. By then, the figure was gone.

"You are the forest youth?" He was asked. Link nodded and stood up, smiling at the irony. He may very well be over three hundred years old, and people still called him a 'youth'.

"Please come with me; the Sage wants to speak to you." Link followed him to where he had left Impa and Isra, who were bent over a map. The Sheikah bowed slightly and left, closing the door silently behind him.

"Good, you are here," Isra stated as she stood. "The Sage and I have decided on our next move; what will yours be?"

"Well, what are you two planning?" Link asked.

"A messenger just arrived from the Gorons; Darmuni, their leader, asked for help to find his son. Isra is going to agree to his terms, and I am going to go to the Zora. It appears that they too are missing a child. Meanwhile, we are going to wait for Izal to return from the Hylian camp," Impa told him. Link nodded.

"The Hylians have the Ocarina of Time, correct?" he asked. Isra nodded.

"Then I'll go to either the Hylian or Gerudo camp; I need to get that and the Master Sword." Isra nodded, a puzzled look on her face.

"Why do you need the Ocarina? The Sage said that you already have one that allows you to move quickly."

Link scratched his head, wondering how much to tell her.

"The Ocarina of Time allows me to use magic that stops most of the undead in their tracks. However, it requires moving Time, so the ocarina that I have will not work. Also, I know of a song that puts troubled spirits to rest, but I do not know if it will work on my current ocarina. That is why I need it." Isra nodded and proceeded to show him the quickest way to get to the Hylian and Gerudo camps.

"Oh, and one more thing," Impa called out as Link turned to leave. "We decided that you need a name that you can be called in this time." Link turned apprehensively.

"What is it?" he asked, expecting the worst.

"Azaman." Link stared at her in surprise; the name literally meant 'time' in Sheikah. He nodded, grinning.

"Guess it makes sense. Well, I'm off," he said, and this time left for real.

Impa watched him leave, worried. She hated waiting, and that was all she could do right now.

"A messenger from the Zora has arrived," a quiet voice announced. Isra and Impa turned to face the speaker.

"He wants to speak to you about a temporary peace." Isra nodded and followed the speaker out the door. Impa opted to stay behind and think over the situation more. Also, she did not want to confront the Zora. He was most likely rattled, and a strange, new Sheikah from another time was not what anyone needed if peace was on the table.

A noise caught her attention, but when she scanned the room, she saw no one. Instead, she found an open window.

_I guess the noise came from there,_ she decided and went to close it. She did not notice the shadowy figure crouched in a corner, silently cursing his mistake. Nor did she notice him as he opened an invisible door and silently shut it once he had passed through. He did not blame her for missing him though; few noticed the Sage of Time.

A/N: I don't normally do this, but I really, really like the Sage of Time. He is much fun, yes yes. Expect more of him.


	7. Chapter 6 The Sage of Time

A/N: Sorry that it took so long, but I just finished moving into my dorm. Add to that, this was a hard chapter to write. But yes, so here it is.

Oh, and heads up for when Lugh appears. Yes, stallions can be caring and not go nutso when a mare is around them.

Justin Time: Glad you liked it. Yes, he is back. Hehe, you will have to read on to find out more about Link's family. And you need to update!

Killer- KoBloods: I can out run a squash, so hah! And besides, you could seriously hurt me with one of those and then it would be even longer before the chapters came out!

The Sheikah had loaned Link a horse, and he had set off for the Hylian camp early the next morning. They had also given him tips on how to avoid the undead. The day was gorgeous with a beautiful pinkish red sunrise. The war torn land looked beautiful once again, but the sight was spoiled once the sun had moved on higher in the sky.

About midday, Link noticed a rider coming towards him. The rider's cloak streamed behind him; the cowl covered his face. The horse was pure white, and he used no bridle. Link slowed the mare he rode down, deciding to see what the rider wanted.

"Who are you?" he questioned as the white horse stopped in front of him. The rider stared at him, grinning.

"I am the Sage of Time, and my name is my own," he began, and Link stared at him in shock at his word choice.

"I am here to offer you advice, should you wish to take it."

"Wait," Link began, "I have not heard of a Sage of Time; the Sages are of Light, Forest, Shadow, Water, Fire, and Spirit."

"But there are seven sages, no?" the rider asked, still smiling. Link stared at him, confused.

"Aye, but with Rauru and the six from my time, that makes seven." The Sage shook his head at Link's answer.

"I was not needed when you fought Ganondorf in that alternate time, so I did not come. Rauru is the Sage of Light from his time, from the time of the first Sages. Zelda is the Sage of Light from your time," he cocked his head to the side and shrugged, "My time as well, I guess. Anyways, Rauru will remain until I awaken in your time. For then there will be seven sages and he can move on to his rest." Link stared at him, still confused and amazed that this man knew of that alternate time.

_Though, I suppose that means he is speaking the truth, if he knows of that time that all others have forgotten._

"So… there were originally seven other Sages, including Rauru?" he asked after mulling over the information.

"No," the Sage said, shaking his head, "There were originally only six other Sages."

"But-"

"Let me explain. There is only one Sage of Time, and there will only ever be one Sage of Time. That is because of Time itself. For everyone, Time is a path that cannot be stepped out of; they must follow it, blindly. For you, the Hero of Time, there is some leeway. However, it is still a path that cannot be changed. Time is a path, for everyone but me that is. For the Sage of Time, Time is not a path but a series of doors, and these doors lead to everywhere and whenever. Understand?" Link nodded bleakly, still confused but not as much. The Sage laughed.

"You'll understand soon. Now, the advice; go to the Gerudos' camp first. Get the sword and break Prince Kelvin's son, Aedan, out of his cell."

"But wouldn't it be easier if I got the Ocarina of Time first?" Link asked, confused at the Sage's words.

"It is up to you, but understand this: the choice you make will determine if your time will still be what you know it to be or if it will change. Now, I must leave. Take the horse with you; his name is Lugh." Then, to Link's utter amazement, the Sage disappeared, leaving his horse.

"Dammit, now what do I do?" he muttered as he dismounted and grabbed Lugh. The horse looked down at him, measuring him with a condescending eye. Link must have met up to his standards, for as soon as he turned his back, Lugh began to heartily scratch his face on him. Caught by surprise, Link fell forward. He rolled over and glared at the horse, who snorted at him and nuzzled his knee.

"I don't have any treats," Link said as he stood up. The horse looked at him mournfully and sighed. Link stared at him; Lugh was behaving much like Epona. He shook his head and focused on the task at hand. Where to go; the Hylian or Gerudo camp?

"Well, I was given the horse, and I won't need him to go to the Hylian camp," Link began as he led his horse, with Lugh following, to a nearby tree, where he sat down.

"Course, this Sage person may have done that just so I would go to the Gerudo camp. Should I trust this Sage?" Link looked at the two horses and groaned.

"You're no help, either of you." He sat there, for almost half an hour, before he stood up. Grabbing the Sheikah mare, Arin, he took her reins, attaching the other ends to Lugh's saddle. He then mounted Lugh and turned him towards the Temple of Time. He would not make it there by nightfall, but by midday tomorrow he should be there. And there, he planned to talk to Rauru and see if this Sage of Time could be trusted.

The Skull king stared at his sobbing captives. The Goron prince, older than the Zora princess by a few years, stood in front of her, trying to protect her from their evil captor.

_How ironic is it that after their parents spent years trying to kill each other that now, these two depend on each other so much?_ He asked himself.

When the Goron prince had been caught wandering alone at night some time ago, a patrol of undead had brought him in. The Skull king had been pleased at the news, for it had given him the solution to his problem. He would ransom the prince for the Spiritual Stone of Fire. He then decided to use this same plan to get the Zora's Sapphire. About seven or so days ago, a pair of Stalfos had brought in the Zora princess. She had gone out for a swim and had become lost. As night fell, she panicked and left the deep water. From the shallows, she was nabbed by the Stalfos. And now, all he needed was proof to send to their worried parents and demand the Spiritual Stones.

After one of the princess's fins had been torn off and the prince's hand with its distinctive tattoo had been cut off, the two were sent back to their cells to await medical attention. Messengers were then prepared; they would not leave until nightfall, for it was just past high noon. Most of the undead could survive during the day, as long as no sunlight seared their skin, so they were quite at home in the Skull king's spacious, underground cavern.

While pleased with his plan, the matter of the Hylians and the Gerudo still troubled him. To get past the Gerudo was a feat not many could boast of, and none of his undead was among that number. He needed a hostage of theirs as well, and preferably a young one. The Hylians though, were a predicament. He knew that he could sway their king, but it was the prince that troubled him. The prince had a clear head and would not be swayed by promises of power and security. News of the prince's son's capture had reached him, as well as news on how the prince reacted. The news pleased him, for when his family was involved, the prince did not think clearly. Somehow, he had to unsettle the prince enough that people would stop listening to him.

"You there," he demanded, pointing at a nearby Stalfo, "get me the spy from the Hylian camp". The Stalfo nodded and left the room, returning with a man dressed in a Hylian guard's uniform. It was, in fact, the same guard that had followed Kelvin home and escorted his daughter to the Goodwife Glenn's house. The man was not an undead; he was a willing servant to the Skull king. For besides being a skilled necromancer, the Skull king was also a skilled liar and sly speaker. Many had flocked to his banner in the early years of the war and now were scattered through the land, spying on their own clansmen.

"Tell me what you know of the prince," he ordered the spy.

"He is married and has two children," the spy began, "The eldest being his son, who is currently held by the Gerudo. His daughter just turned thirteen and is fairly feisty for a young girl. His wife has a weak constitution, and her son's capture has hit her hard. Prince Kelvin is very attached to his family, the king excluded. He is good friends with the Sheikah leader and regards him as a brother. He is a fair man, even with the Gerudo. He wishes to end the war, and soon." The spy stopped when the Skull king held up his hand; he had heard enough.

"Thank you. Now, I want you to take a message to the Hylian king. I care not how he gets it, as long as your position is not compromised. This message will say that I am willing to talk to him about peace and maybe even a possible alliance. I will need to meet him; make sure that you stress that point in the message. It would be for the best if the prince was not there, understand?" The spy nodded.

"Good, now go. You have already spent too much time away," Bowing, the spy left the room. The Skull king smiled, for he had now decided on how to prevent the prince from interfering with his plans.

Snapping his fingers, he summoned a pair of Stalfos.

"Get me one of the Gerudo king's daughters," he ordered, "And I want her here as soon as possible." The Stalfos grinned and set off to get some others. They too would not leave until nightfall, and so they spent the time preparing for the raid.

It took Link longer than he expected to get to the Temple, but that was due to a sharp rock. Arin had stepped on it, and it pierced the hoof. She had kept up for a bit, trying her hardest not to show pain. When Link noticed her lagging behind, he had stopped Lugh, and then noticed her limp. They had walked the rest of the way, with Link on foot and Lugh with all of Arin's burdens. He arrived the day after he had planned on being there, but it was in the morning, so he was not that far behind his schedule.

When he entered the Temple, he realized that he couldn't open the Door of Time. Cursing, he glared at the stone as he thought of how to get Rauru's attention. He pulled out his ocarina, and standing close to the door, played the Song of Time. As the last of the notes faded away, he opened his eyes and looked at the door. Nothing. A hopeful nicker cut across his thoughts. Lugh was watching him, ears pricked forward.

"You like music, eh boy?" Link said, smiling, "You're just like my girl at home." The words cut into Link's heart. Up until now, Epona and the grass filled plains of Hyrule had been far from his thoughts. But this strange horse had brought them back, and quickly. Link sighed and walked over to where the horses were. Rubbing Lugh's head, he thought of his time, and of how badly he wanted to return there. Tears sprung to his eyes and were roughly brushed away.

_I can't break down now!_ He told himself angrily as more tears threatened to spill. But it was no use. He was alone, and he was in a strange time. Everywhere he had gone, Epona had been there. In Termina, they had been reunited once he found her at Romani Ranch. And since then, they had never parted. Epona knew him as no human did, and her comforting presence was gone. There would be no more reassuring nudges, no sly kicks aimed at annoying people. Her loud whinny would not reach him here, no matter how hard she tried to reach him, and his ocarina's music would not reach her ears.

A soft nuzzle broke Link's depressing thoughts. He looked into Lugh's eyes, deep with compassion and understanding. The white stallion rubbed his soft nose against Link's face, wiping away the tears. Biting his lip, Link stared at the horse. Lugh rested his head over Link's shoulder, pushing the young Hylian towards him. Letting loose his tears, Link grasped his mane, sobbing into his neck.

"I… just want… to go… home!" he sobbed, shaking. A nuzzle on his arm caused him to turn his head. Arin was there, a perplexed look on her equine face. Link reached over and rubbed her face. Lugh moved his head and looked down at Link.

"I'll… I'll be ok," Link told him, scrubbing away his tears, "I… well, everyone needs a time to break down right?" Lugh snorted.

"Everything has happened so fast…" he began, "And I have forgotten those I left behind. All of a sudden, they've come back. And it hurts; it hurts a lot. I want to go back so badly, but I can't. At least not yet." He walked over to the door of the temple; rain clouds darkened the horizon.

"We'll stay here tonight," he told the horses as he walked back and began to untack them. "Then we head for the Gerudo camp tomorrow, if the sky is clear. I don't want to met the undead while you're injured, Arin." Lugh nodded his head vigorously; he agreed with Link. Link laughed at the horse's antics.

The Sage of Time, or Enzaman as the elder Sages knew him, watched Link from high in the Temple of Time. For him, there were balconies and buttresses, doors and hallways, rooms and chambers, and windows with the most spectacular stained glass that no one else could see. And it was on one of these balconies that he watched Link and breathed a sigh of relief. Zelda had been on his case about this, to get Link to choose correctly.

_ 'We cannot afford to have him go to the Hylian camp first! My ancestor was not a scrupulous person; Hyrule as we know it will be gone and who knows what will happen with Ganon and such!' she had stated._

_'We cannot afford for him to be coerced, to forever mistrust the Sages. Are you willing to live with him if that happens?' he had asked her, receiving a glare._

_'I'd rather that than a doomed Hyrule, and I know **you** would too.' She flounced off, the argument was over. _

Enzaman lead a difficult life. He saw not only what happened in the time that he visited, but also what could happen. The 'could- be's were ghosts, shadows. They hovered in his vision, haunting him. He knew what could have happened had Link decided to go to the Hylian camp. He could have been captured, killed even. He could have escaped, with the Ocarina. But then, Aedan could have been killed, and then Zelda would not be around, and Ganondorf may very well have succeeded. Or he may not have even gained power, and Link would still be in his forest home, fairyless and carefree.

These shadows of what could be were never fully in his sight, but always in the corner of his eye. If he focused hard enough, he could see them in their entirerty, should another 'could- be' not try to jump into his sight. This ability made him cynical at times and sarcastic the rest of the time. Often, he would catch Zelda looking at him, wondering where the young man she had once known had gone to. She would sigh, shake her head, and, if she caught him looking, give him a mournful look that was reproachful at the same time. He had recently made the mistake of snapping at her, telling her to stop sighing because if she had left the Spiritual Stones and the Triforce alone, he would not be this way. She had stared at him, shocked and hurt, and than ran off, hiding her tears. Ruto glared at him and ran after Zelda, to console her most likely. The two were thicker than thieves. Saria had not been around, but once she heard about it, she had berated him for it at least a dozen times. Then Nabooru gave him a long talk on how he had to be considerate of Zelda's inner spirit. He thought that the whole Sage of Spirit thing was starting to get to Nabooru. Darunia did not say anything, but he had given Enzaman one of his looks, making him feel horrible inside. Impa was silent on the matter, as always. Of all of the Sages, she alone had left him alone. He was glad that she remembered what he had told her, all those years ago.

Since then, he had spent less and less time in the Sacred Realm. He began to visit other times more and more frequently, despite the shadow visions. It was preferable to the looks he received from the three younger females and Nabooru's talks.

So with dread he opened the door that lead to his own time. Waiting on the other side was Impa.

"So nice to have you back," she commented dryly. He ignored her and stalked over to Zelda.

"Well?" she asked.

"Rest assured, dear princess, he is going to the Gerudo camp, and he did it on his own volition."

Her eyes sparkled in relief. His ill spirits rising, Enzaman could not resist pointing out another possibility.

"There is still a lot that can happen. He may change his mind."

Zelda bit her lip, crushing the retort that was about to come out. She was tired of this fight and was willing to apologize to the other Sage.

"L-" she began, but was cut off.

"I need to go talk to Rauru," Enzaman said abruptly, "I'll keep you posted on what happens." And with that, he was gone. Zelda sighed, her shoulders slumping. After their argument on how to handle Link's decision, Impa had talked to her.

_"He carries a burden larger than his share for us," she had said. Zelda had just glared at her; she was in no mood to speak about him._

_"Do you know what he sees when he travels?"_

_"What anyone would see," Zelda said shortly. _

_"And more. He sees what can be; he sees what could have been when we look from this time. And he doesn't see it directly, but out of the corner of his eye. It is always hovering there, just barely in sight but not enough in sight to comfort him." Impa turned to Zelda and gave her a long look._

_"When you take everything away, he is a warrior. And a warrior can't stand to have something hovering in his sight, waiting to strike. The visions of what can be drive him crazy, fraying his nerves. He sees more than what you and I can guess, and he knows that we can never be sure. Give him his space Zelda, and give him your friendship. Then his old self will emerge once more, not fully, but enough to dull the edges of his anger. However, you still must accept that this is who he is and he will not be who he once was." Impa then left, leaving Zelda to her thoughts as she always did after one of her talks. Zelda had stared across the Temple of Light, tears rolling down her cheeks. Impa was right; she had not been much of a friend. _

When Enzaman emerged in the new time, he was once again in the Chamber of Sages. This time, only Rauru was there to greet him. The Sage of Time relaxed, if only a bit. Here, there were no visions ready to pounce and no lectures. There was only an old man, who he had come to consider a very good friend.

"Enzaman! Your face is a welcome one in this troubled time," Rauru exclaimed, his voice troubled.

"The undead have begun to move?" He asked, his voice catching. He knew of the undeads' plan to attack, but it was too early now for them to begin.

"No, but they are collecting. Add to that, Zelda has been worrying herself sick about Link and Impa. I remember them being fine, but I hardly saw them. They are alright, are they not?" Enzaman nodded in response to Rauru's worried query.

"They still have much to do, if everything is to remain as you know it," he commented, causing a look of worry to cross Rauru's face.

"I suppose they determine the present now," Rauru murmured. Enzaman nodded, the cowl of his hood dipping lower with the motion.

"I'll go speak with Zelda; she can not cave now. You have taught her as much as you can?" Rauru nodded, and Enzaman smiled. Things were working out.

"Well, I'll be off then. Do not worry about Link and Impa; they will be fine," he nodded good bye and walked through one of the doors. This time he ended up in Zelda's private garden.

She was sitting next to a small pond, staring at her reflection. Her hands grasped her dress, and the material was twisted and wrinkled. She was not crying, but one could see the tears that she held back. Allya stood far in the corner, scanning the area. She must have heard him enter into the garden. Stepping forward, he made the Sheikah gesture of peace. Allya narrowed her eyes, until he held up his medallion. Shocked, she stepped back, allowing him to approach Zelda.

"Princess," he said simply, wincing behind the hood. How many times had he said that to her, only to have her glare in mock anger and order him to call her by her name?

"I saw you," she whispered after she looked at him, "In my dream." Enzaman nodded; he expected no less.

"Do not worry for Link; he is fine, as is Impa. They will return. You need to care for yourself Princess; your people may have need of you soon."

Zelda turned away, facing the pond once more.

"I expected you to say as much. Rauru has told me of you, Sage of Time. If you see Link again," she paused, biting back a sob, "If you see him again, tell him… tell him that I am sorry, for everything." He nodded; he would convey the message. Zelda stood and turned to face him.

"I look forward to meeting you as you are in this time, Enzaman. Safe journey." He bowed, and exited through a door.

Zelda turned to Allya, who had a thoughtful expression on her face.

"What is it?" she asked. Allya looked at her, expressionless.

"His name; it confuses me. The first part, I know not, but the second part is the basis for 'time' in Sheikah. And there are tales of a youth known as Azaman, whose name means 'time', and he is the only one to have born it." Zelda stared at her, confused as to why it mattered.

"I'll ask Rauru about it," she said, and Allya nodded. That was enough for her.


	8. Chapter 7 Deal with the Devil

A/N: I'm putting the stuff that's normally up here at the end, so I can say more.

And because I've forgotten this lately,

I don't own Zelda, or any of its characters.

Aegri looked around, apprehensive. It was the dead of the night, and he was in the middle of a deserted field. Why he had come, he did not know, but he thought it had something to do with the soldier who had delivered the message. After hearing it, he had not stopped thinking about it, until he finally decided to come and met the Skull King.

"So good for you to come, King Aegri," a voice said from the shadows. Aegri spun around, expecting to see a skeleton or redead, but was instead confronted with a tall, pale Hylian in his twenties.

"I assume you are the Skull King?" he asked haughtily, masking his apprehension. The Skull king smiled silkily.

"Please, call me Valr. I would not use that title, but I must if I want the spirits I called to serve me."

"Very well then," Aegri said, relaxing. "What can I do for you, Valr?"

"I would like to talk to you about an alliance," he began, "For I can not return my King without your help. He lies trapped in the Scared Realm, and you are the only one who can open it for me." Valr was lying, but he knew that the king did not know that. Also, the lie bolstered Aegri's vision of his importance, helping him achieve his means.

"This king you speak of," Aegri said slowly, weighing each word. "Is he this king of evil that the captured undead boast of?"

"Oh no!" Valr said energetically. "I must tell them that lie, again, so they will follow me. I had hoped to raise good souls when I called the undead to me in order to accomplish my quest, but only those with evil in their hearts came. So in order to keep them with me and not go wrecking havoc on good Hylians such as Your Majesty, I told them that they were needed to return an evil king to power. But truly, I am only doing this for the good of the Hylians."

"So you care not of the other races?" Aegri asked, testing his new acquaitence. Valr smiled benignly; he had caught his fish.

"The Gorons are stupid beasts, fit only for labour. As for the Zora, I have heard that they cook up quite nicely as they are nothing but big fish. The Gerudos are parasites, living off others' fortune." Here he paused, shaking his head. "The worst though, are the Sheikah. Sneaking, conniving, they are the worst of all the lower tribes. My sister, the poor soul that she was, fell in love with a Sheikah man. He seduced her; that I am sure of. Then, after their marriage, he had his way with her and then left her out to die. No, I care nothing for the other, lower races." Aegri smiled and extended his hand.

"Let us talk some more about this alliance, my friend." Valr grinned and grasped the outstretched hand.

"Let us, friend."

Two days later, Aegri had returned to the same spot, but this time he was accompanied. With him were his niece and a guard.

"Are you sure mom and dad will be okay, Uncle Aegri?" Zelda asked softly, looking back toward the little settlement. Aegri smiled warmly, something that hurt his face.

"Of course my dear. This will give them some peace and quiet, and allow them to think out what is going on clearly." Zelda looked up at her uncle, still unsure.

"Look," he said, pointing at a patch of wildflowers. "Aren't those Periwinkles? Why don't you go pick some for your mother?" Zelda clapped her hands and ran over to the flower patch. Periwinkles were her favourite flower with their little blue-grey petals and dark green leaves.

As she was picking a bouquet, Aegri looked to the sky. It was sunset, and he could just barely see the Stalfo pair waiting in the trees, ready to pounce. He turned and went to talk to the guard, distracting him and giving the Stalfos an opening.

Zelda's scream ended the conversation, and both Hylians looked over to see the young girl being thrown over the shoulder of one of the Stalfos. The guard had no time to react, for the other Stalfo had thrust his sword through the Hylian's gut. The Stalfo then turned to Aegri and knocked him unconscious with the butt of his sword, and then gave him a gash along the stomach that looked like it was meant to be fatal, but ended up not being due to luck. The Stalfos then made their way back to their hideout, with an unconscious prisoner. Zelda had fainted from fright.

When Aegri woke, he was back in the Hylian camp in the infirmary. Dimly he could hear voices; they belonged to Kelvin and Izal. Aegri smiled to himself, for he no longer needed the Sheikah's help.

He shifted in his bed, alerting the nurse on duty. She performed a cursory check, and then went to get Kelvin and Izal. The two entered the small area that was separated from the rest of the infirmary.

"Are you alright?" Kelvin asked, worried. Aegri managed to smile.

"As good as I can be," he said, confidently. A little too confidently for Izal, but he kept that to himself.

"How long have I been out?" he asked.

"Almost four days," Kelvin answered, relief flooding his features.

"Is Zel alright?" Aegri asked, feigning ignorance at his niece's capture. Once again, Izal noticed something array, but he again kept silent. Kelvin's face struggled to keep its composure as he shook his head.

"She was captured by the Stalfos that attacked you Aegri." Aegri managed to put a passable look of surprise on his face. Those nearby put it off as shock and allowed him the moment of incorrect behaviour.

"Did you get a look at your attackers?" Izal asked softly. Aegri shook his head.

"No, but they were completely silent. That removes the Gorons and Zoras from being the attackers."

"Then you were attacked by the Gerudo or the undead," Izal concluded, daring Aegri to name the Sheikah as his attackers. Strangely though, Aegri only agreed. Kelvin sighed as he turned toward the door, excusing himself.

"What is wrong?" Aegri asked, concerned about his brother.

"Selen's health has gone down rapidly since Zelda was captured," Izal said softly. "She is bed ridden, and Kelvin spends most of his time with her now." Aegri felt a pang of grief for causing Selen's plight, but it was only a pang and a small one at that. There was more to be accomplished, or so he believed.

"We must do something Izal," Aegri said after a few minutes of silence. "We need to ask council of the Sage of Light before this gets anymore out of hand." Izal raised his eyebrows at the king's change of heart, but said nothing; he only nodded in agreement.

"As soon as I am well," Aegri promised, "We shall go to the Temple of Time." Izal nodded again, his eyes sparkling in relief. It seemed even the most arrogant could come down.

Link, meanwhile, was not in a good mood. The entrance to the Gerudo camp was heavily guarded; it had taken him days to get through the pass. Untacking the horses, he softly gave them orders to stay where they were. He then set out to get in, something that was no small feat in itself.

After many sweat soaked hours, he was finally in the fortress itself. However, the ordeal was not over yet. While the fortress was less populated due to the raiding parties and outside guards, he still had to be silent and cautious. Blind corners kept him from seeing very far, and the acoustics of the building worked against him. It had always puzzled him how well sound traveled in this place.

Link slowly made his way to the center of the building, where Nabooru's quarters were in his time. He reasoned that the leaders kept the same quarters to facilitate the living plan. He was soon proved correct when he looked into a room with a lush welcome carpet. Inside was a desk loaded with papers, an unoccupied bed with plenty of bed sheets, and a majestic sword that hung on the wall across from the door.

Silently Link made his way to the sword. As he removed it from the wall, it scrapped against the wall hangers, making a small noise. Link winced, but didn't worry too much. That was, until the bed sheets moved. A man with long, silver streaked red hair sat up and looked around. He had been completely covered by the blankets and pillow, masking him from Link's vision. Link silently cursed and brought the sword the rest of the way down, waking the man completely. Upon seeing Link with the sword, he stood up and stared at the young man.

"It is impressive that you made it this far, Hylian," he commented at last.

"I'm not a Hylian," Link said softly in Gerudo, "I'm a Kokiri." The Gerudo's brow furrowed in confusion, and he asked,

"Who are you?"

"Azaman," Link said, "is my name in this time. I'm from a time in the future."

"You speak of the impossible!" the Gerudo hissed. Link rolled his eyes; how many times was he going to have to go through this?

"No, it is very possible. Look, in my time there have been three Gerudo males since you, and I am very good friends with the Gerudo queen. She was the one who taught me Gerudo; does it sound odd to your ears? A little off?" The Gerudo king growled, annoyed.

"I don't need a young man, barely old enough to have his first horse, telling me how something should seem to me." Link backed off; he had pricked the Gerudo's pride a little too hard.

"But," the king continued, "What you say makes sense. So please, tell me, why are you after the Master Sword?" He stood in front of Link, his arms crossed, waiting for an answer. Link sighed, wondering how much to tell the man.

_Well, the legends have to come from somewhere,_ he thought.

"Because I can wield it as the Hero of Time," he said simply.

"Hero of Time?" The king asked skeptically.

"All I can tell you is this; there will be a time when a great evil comes over the land. Then the princess of destiny will find the Hero of Time, and with the power of the Sages, they will stop the evil, and the land will be peaceful again." The Gerudo king raised his eyebrows, once again, and was about to ask a question, when shouts of alarm reached them. Indecision darted across the king's face, but he made his decision quick.

"I'm told that sword can kill undead, and keep them dead. Shall we see if that is true?" he asked, and then ran down towards the shouts, grabbing a sword on the way. Link frowned and followed, recognizing where they were heading.

When the two arrived at the cells, the battle was very clearly defined. Both the Gerudo and undead were grouped on opposite sides, protecting someone. The Gerudo were around the cells, and the undead grouped on the other side of the short passage way. However, upon the arrival of the king, the undead attacked. Link darted in front of the Gerudos and hit the attack head on. He put all the frustration he had felt over the past few weeks into the fight, leaving few undead to reach the Gerudo behind him. Soon only one undead was left, a young girl. Link straightened up as he saw her; something about he was vaguely familiar. Her pale blonde hair was filthy, and her violet eyes lit up with a malicious light, but she still retained some essence of her former self that reminded him of Princess Zelda.

"Well, Hero of Time," she hissed, "It looks like you retrieved that damned sword."

"And who are you, little demon?" Link asked.

She laughed; a harsh sound that grated on the ears. "I am Zelda, servant to the glorious Skull King."

"Does this Skull king serve anyone?" he asked, praying that he acted alone.

"Oh yes," she gloated, her face lighting up in perverse joy, "He serves the Great King himself, Ganon. And soon, this pitiful little land will belong to the Great King, and you shall be dead, along with that sniveling wretch." Her eyes narrowed at the mention of the wretch, prompting Link's next question.

"Who is this wretch?"

"MY UNCLE!" She shouted, "The bastard that sold me to the Skull King! He shall receive all the pain that I went through twice more and then he shall die twice!"

"Zel," a soft voice said, "Zel, what happened?"

Zelda grinned as she recognized the voice.

"I died, dear brother, and was raised from the dead. But before that? Do you want to know? I was raped, many times, by the Skull King. He gets bored having only the undead around him, and they aren't any good for the pleasures of the bed. And then, his few human soldiers had their fun. It took two nights before I had enough, and then," she paused, savouring the moment, "And then, I killed myself. I slit my wrists and watched the blood flow. It was beautiful. Then he came in and sat beside me. He laughed as he saw the blood flow, and then I died. The next night, I was on my two feet again. Lovely story, isn't it?" Link could just imagine Aedan's face, horrified not only by what happened to his sister but also by what she had become.

"And, if I kill you, dearest brother, I get to move on; I'll be released." She began to move forward, and Link blocked her path.

"I will not kill you with this sword, for I swore to protect the royal family with this blade" he said softly, "But there are other ways to kill an undead should you continue farther."

"How?" she spat, angry.

"The sun."

Her eyes grew wide; she was not powerful enough to stand even the smallest amount of sunlight yet.

"You wouldn't!"

"Watch me." And, to prove his point, Link pulled out his ocarina. He could not call the sun with it, but Zelda did not know that. Hissing, she sank into the ground, returning to wherever she called home now.

Sighing in relief, Link turned to the Gerudo king, who was over by Aedan now. The prince had sunk to his knees and was shaking. Link walked over and knelt by the prince.

"I am sorry," he whispered, "I will do everything I can to release her soul."

Aedan just shook his head, too much in shock to register what Link was saying. The Gerudo king pulled aside two thieves and had them take Aedan to the hospital wing. He then motioned for Link to follow him, allowing everyone else to disperse.

"Your Majesty," Link began, but was cut off by the king.

"My name is Havlah, and I would prefer you to call me that."

"We cannot waste time; I need to take the prince and go to the Hylian camp." Havlah nodded in agreement.

"I know, but he is in no condition to travel now. Tomorrow, he will be still shaken, but his wits will have returned. It is too late for you to travel now anyways." Link sighed, but could not argue with the Gerudo's logic. He just hated waiting around.

The next day Link and Aedan set off; Link on Lugh and Aedan riding Arin, whose hoof was now healed. They made for the Temple of Time and planned to make it there before nightfall. Aedan was silent, but Link did not blame him; he too would be silent if he had been confronted by his sister's undead form.

The weather was kind to them, and they made good time. A few hours before dusk, the rising tower of the Temple greeted them. However, there was more. Two horses stood outside the Temple, grazing. One bore a Sheikah saddle, the other one of Hylian make.

"Those are my uncles' horses. Why are they here?" Aedan asked, speaking for the first time. Link turned to look at him.

"Izal and King Aegri, correct?" he asked, and Aedan nodded. Link frowned, wondering what was going on.

"Stay here; if anything happens, turn Arin towards the mountains. She'll take you to the Sheikah camp." With that, he dismounted and entered the Temple.

Aegri could not believe his good fortune; Izal had gone along with everything. They were in the Temple of Time, and he was weaponless, as custom demanded. Aegri, to all appearances, lacked any weapons as well. Izal stood before him, reading the inscription on the stone block that was in front of the Door of Time.

"I am afraid that we will not be able to reach the Sage of Time," Izal said, still facing the stone.

"That is most unfortunate," Aegri lamented, and drawing a dagger hidden in his sleeve, stabbed Izal as he turned around. He missed the heart, but managed to hit a lung, and the Sheikah leader fell to the ground.

Izal gasped in pain as he hit the ground, forcing the dagger farther in. Anger and shock registered in his mind, but the pain dulled them. His vision swam, but he managed to focus it when he heard the temple door open and close. Standing there was a young man, either in his early twenties or late teens, with golden hair and ice blue eyes, which were wide with shock. They quickly narrowed in anger and his mouth disappeared into a small line as he frowned. Izal's own eyes widened at the sight of this youth, for he reminded him of what his own son may have looked like, should he have lived.

Link charged Aegri, yelling. The king had barely enough time to grab his own sword from the steps were he had set it before Link reached him.

"Who are you?" he demanded as he narrowly avoided having his arm chopped off.

"Your death," Link hissed. Aegri's eyes opened wide with shock, and he struggled to keep his balance.

"What have I done to you?" he protested and managed to get one of his own moves in, instead of just blocking Link's.

"Nothing direct," Link snarled, "But I swore to protect those who would harm the royal family, and you sold your niece to the undead. And you tried to kill an innocent man." _That and he's may very well be my father,_ Link thought to himself, but kept it to himself.

Aegri scowled, and attempted to defend himself against Link's verbal attacks. He soon had no reason to, for he parried Link's next attack clumsily and wasn't able to defend against the next one. The Master Sword cut through Aegri's hidden armor, and he fell back, dead. Link stood there, panting and glaring at Aegri. He then hastily wiped his blade and sheathed it, and then went to check on Izal.

Izal was still breathing, and as Link knelt down beside him, he regained his conciousness. He opened his eyes, and after studying Link's face, he smiled.

"You look so much like her," he whispered, and blacked out again.

Link cursed under his breath as he pulled Izal into a sitting position. He heard the door open, and looked over to see Aedan enter.

"I thought I told you to stay outside," Link shouted over.

"Blame that horse of yours," Aedan replied, running over. "Is he alright?" He supported Izal, allowing Link to slowly pull out the dagger.

"As alright as one can be after being stabbed in the back," Link muttered, glaring at Aegri's form. Aedan noticed the glare and paled.

"Uncle Aegri. . . he didn't, did he?"

"Oh yes," Link hissed, putting pressure on the wound. Aedan stared at Link, deciding what to do.

"We can't leave his body in here; it will desecrate the Temple. We can just dump it outside. However, we may not want to mention that you killed him, even if it was to avenge his backhanded attack." Link nodded in agreement, relieved that Aedan was not going to heckle him about his uncle's death. It appeared even his family had misgivings about him.

After they bound Izal's wound, they carefully carried him outside and managed to make a stretcher of sorts between the two horses. Aedan stayed outside with them while Link went back in to drag Aegri's body out. As he dragged it down the stairs, a small object fell out. Link let go of Aegri's legs and picked it up, smiling. He had the Ocarina of Time now. He then dumped Aegri's body beside the steps and walked over to where Aedan and the horses waited.

"It will be hard, getting him to the camp without being attacked," Aedan said as the two began to lead the horses towards the Hylian camp. Link smiled as he shook his head,

"No, we'll be fine. Your uncle had the Ocarina of Time on him."

Aedan stared at him, perplexed. "How does that help us?"

"I can change night to day using it. The Sun's Song summons the sun, and turns day to night. Or, if I so wished, I could turn day to night using it, but I don't think I will." Aedan just nodded, looking no less confused. Link smiled.

"You'll see in a couple of hours," he promised, and Aedan nodded.

It took them a total of three days to reach the Hylian camp, with Link dutifully playing the Sun's song each time night fell. They would take turns sleeping on one of the horses, but all in all, they received very little sleep. Concern for Izal's health kept them going; his condition grew worse each day. Curiosity pestered Link; did he really look like his mother? Was the woman Izal spoke of his mother? Unfortunately, he had no one to ask, and so his questions remained unanswered.

When they arrived at the camp, they were challenged by two guards. Link wanted to strangle them, but Aedan used his most princely tone and was able to gain them immediate entrance. Izal was taken to the infirmary, and Link and Aedan were ushered to soft beds by a worried looking Kelvin. Both were asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows as the past few days took their toll.

_Fires danced around them. She held her son close to her, trying to protect him from the blaze._

_"Lady Xyli!" someone called. She turned to see a man beckoning to her. She could not see his face; it was covered by his cloak, but the urgency of the situation forced her to trust him. She ran over, and he led her to the stables. Miraculously, they were still intact. _

_"Ride for the forest," he said once she mounted, handing her wailing son to her. "Ride to the forest and ask the help of the Deku Tree. Understand?" She nodded, trusting this man despite herself. Turning the horse, she spurred him on. As they passed through the gates, she risked a glance backwards; the man was gone. _

_An arrow arched towards her, burrowing itself in her right arm. Crying out with pain, she dropped the reins and clutched her son closer to her. He wailed at the sudden pressure, and she relaxed her grip. Two more arrows followed, one hitting her side and the other slicing across her leg before it buried itself in the ground. Urging the horse on, she continued on her way._

_One and a half days later, she had made it to the forest. Her horse was dead, killed by the undead. Limping, she made her way into the forest, weak from exposure and the many wounds she had acquired. Suddenly she was in a glade before a huge tree._

_"Deku Tree…" she whispered._

_**What hadst happened to thee, Hylian child?**_

_"Too much," she said shaking her head. "Will you take him in?" She held up her son, who was silent._

_"His name is Link," she breathed and managed to set him down before she collapsed, dead._

Link rocketed up, gasping. Sweat dripped from his forehead and his hands grasped the sheets. He unclenched his hands; his nails had made divots in the skin through the sheets.

"Azaman?" Someone asked through the door.

"Yes?" he said, managing not to sound like he was going to kill the speaker.

"Are you alright? I thought I heard shouting."

"I'm fine," he said, exasperated. He had shouted? "It was just a nightmare."

"Ah, well, the evening meal is ready if you wish to eat."

"Thank you," he replied, and he heard the speaker's footsteps fade away.

Standing, he wiped his hands and his face on the sheet and then went to pull on his shirt and tunic. Both were noticeably worse for wear, but he would live. Running his fingers through his hair, he then walked out of the room, and joined his host in the kitchen.

Aedan was also there, still groggy. He held a cup of steaming liquid; Link hoped it was coffee. It was, and he soon had a cup of his own to sip on. Aedan's father, Link could not remember his name, was silent until they had finished eating, which took a while as they were both starving. Then the questions began.

Aedan answered his father's questions; Link remained silent. The answers obviously did not satisfy Kelvin, for he kept asking more and more specific questions. Finally, he asked one that Aedan dared not answer.

"Who killed Aegri?"

"Don't know," his son said around a hastily bitten piece of bread. Kelvin raised his eyebrow; Aedan was a horrible liar.

"Neither of you leaves this house for any reason until I find out what happened." Link looked at Aedan, both of them wide eyed. Over the trek from the Temple of Time to the camp, the two had become good friends, and Aedan was not going to give Link away that easily.

"Now boys, not next decade," Kelvin ordered. When neither answered, he sighed and began to clean the table.

"Fine then. Help me clear the table and then make yourselves comfortable; the townspeople seem to think you have something to do with Aegri's death, and they're upset. This is for your own safety, as well as Izal's." Link made a face, and Aedan sighed.

"He stabbed Izal in the back," Link began, and Kelvin turned around.

"I had wondered," Kelvin muttered, "Continue, I won't tell the townspeople every little bit."

Link sighed, wondering how to phrase the next part. "This goes no farther than this room. I killed Aegri; I had entered the Temple just as he stabbed Izal, and I attacked him. We fought, briefly, and he died. I then dumped his body outside; the dirt bag deserved it." Kelvin said nothing at Link's confession, but he did raise an eyebrow at his choice of words.

"Well, this is going to make that a difficult topic. Alright," Kelvin sighed, running his hand through his hair. "I have one more question, how did you two make it all this way with a wounded man on foot without being attacked by the undead?" Link laughed at this.

"That one is my trick," he admitted. "Aegri had the Ocarina of Time on him, and in my time I'm known as the Hero of Time. I can move time with it, so using the Sun's Song I was able to turn night to day." Kelvin shook his head at this, but was interrupted when a gasp from the bedroom hit their ears. Paling, he rushed over to the room and to the woman inside. Aedan followed him, just as pale, and Link made his way over slowly.

The pale woman inside, Link assumed she was Aedan's mother, was gasping for air, clutching Kelvin's hand.

"Aedan, get the healers," he said grimly. Aedan turned to go, but was stopped when his mother spoke.

"No," she gasped, "No, it is my time. I want you all to be here." Link turned to leave to give the three their privacy, but he too was stopped by the dying lady.

"Stay forest child, I would like y…" she drifted off, and Link turned to face her. Kelvin held her hand still, his face twisted by grief and anger at his helplessness. Aedan stood, his hand resting on his father's shoulder, as tears made their way down his face.

Selen soon could not breathe as her body was racked by spasms. Kelvin was shaking; he could not bear to see his wife in such pain. Aedan turned his face to Link's, his eyes begging Link to do something.

_What can I do?_ He asked himself bitterly. _All I do is play songs. Songs that move me places and raise Temples._ He fingered his ocarina, and suddenly remembered the Song of Healing. Bringing it out, he began to play, softly at first, and then louder when he saw that it was helping Selen. Her breathing calmed and slowed until it was no more. He stopped when her chest stopped rising, and Kelvin stood.

"Thank you," he said softly, his voice dead. Link opened his mouth to offer comforting words, but screams interrupted him. The three of them ran outside to see what the cause was.

Standing in the middle of the square in all her terrible majesty was Zel. Hearing them approach, she turned to face them, her face lighting up with a malicious smile.

"Hello Daddy."

…………………….

A/N: Hehe, poor Kelvin. Today isn't his day, especially since his daughter has become such a bh. So now you know, Link is half Sheikah and related to the royal family. Now how did he get that dream? We shall see….

Allyanna: Thank you! Umm… I don't remember the specific amount of years (my notebook with all the numbers was left at home when I left for college) but it was over three hundred years that Link was in the forest. He's old.

Justin Time: Thank you, glad you like my attempts to connect the past with the future.

Selah Ex Animo: Thank you! Glad you like it.


	9. Chapter 8 The King is Dead

I don't own anything to do with Zelda.

"Hello Daddy," Zel crooned, walking towards them. Kelvin took a step back, frozen with shock. Aedan tried to get his father to move, but to with no luck. Link stood in front of them, blocking Zel's path, and drew his sword.

"So you'll kill my niece with that blade too?" A rasping voice asked. Link looked behind Zel and swore. Rising from the ground was Aegri, complete with a crazed grin and bloodstained clothes.

"Murderer," Aegri said to Link, advancing. Zel scowled, but gave way.

"I could say the same of you," Link retorted, pointing his blade at Aegri. "You sold your niece, who died due to the Skull King. You stabbed Izal in the back, in blatant disregard for not only the treaty between the tribes, but also in direct violation of the sanctuary laws of the Temple of Time." He paused, letting his words sink in to those around him.

"Now, shall we see if this sword hurts more when you're living or when you're dead?"

A whistling sound alerted Link to the huge rock that was flying towards him. Dashing back, he narrowly avoided it. He pushed those around him, including Aedan and Kelvin, back out of the way as it thudded into the ground.

"You won't escape next time, goro," the rock's thrower said. Link looked over to see a Goron, missing a hand, standing next to a pile of rocks. Scowling, Link grabbed a nearby soldier's bow and quiver. Drawing it, he muttered a command, causing the arrow's head to explode into flames. He sent it flying towards the Goron, who barely managed to get out of the way. However, his arm that still had its hand was hit, and it fell off, burning. Moaning in pain, the Goron sunk into the ground to heal.

Turning, he pointed the bow at Aegri, who had retreated.

"Fire is the coward's weapon," Aegri hissed, preparing to retreat to the safety of the earth.

"Then tell that to your king, who set my mother's village on fire," Link snarled, and spoke the command again. However, as soon as they saw the fire explode onto the arrow point, Aegri and Zel disappeared into the dark embrace of the earth.

All then turned to face Kelvin and Aedan. A tall man, dressed in finer clothes than most, was the first to speak.

"The King is dead. Long live King Aedan." Aedan paled, but nodded. He had been trained for this day for many years; it was still too soon for him though. People pressed around Aedan, asking for reassurance and offering support. Some congratulated Kelvin, commenting on how he and Selen must be proud. Kelvin's reply quickly circulated through the crowd: Selen was dead. Condolences were offered, and a group of women went to take her to the House of the Dead and prepare her for burial. The crowd made Link edgy; he could easily see someone stabbing Aedan in the confusion. Kelvin soon decided that enough was enough and ordered everyone to return to their tasks and to give his son some room. Most went off willing, understandingly, but some left with anger in their eyes. Aedan was a young king, and easily impressionable.

Aedan, Kelvin, and the king's advisors made their way to the central building, which was used as a type of hearing room where the king heard complaints and discussed matters with his advisors. Link stayed behind, not wanting to appear to be pushing the new king.

"Azaman," Aedan said when he noticed Link hanging back. "Will you join us? You seem to know more about these undead than we do." Link raised his eyebrows in surprise, and nodded. When he caught up with them, they started on their way again. Some of the advisors gave Link friendly smiles, for they were glad that he was here and welcomed his advice. Others though, regarded him with suspicion. During Aegri's rule, they had held positions of high respect due to their brown nosing and numerous favours that they did for the king. With the rise of a new king, their positions were insecure, and they feared that the newcomer would one day stand where they had.

After many, frustrating hours, they had all finally agreed on what to do. Link personally thought that Aedan should have just told the advisors to can it, but he also realized that Aedan needed their support at this time. So he had refrained from telling them to can it.

"We need someone to go to each tribe, carrying a message of what has happened," Aedan said, wearily.

One of the advisors, an old supporter of Aegri's, gasped. "Sire, that would be inviting an attacking force of who knows how many of the other tribes!" Link rolled his eyes. No one seemed to have a clear idea of what a cease fire would be or how to get one.

"Not if you wish to speak of peace," he stated, equally weary. The protesting advisor scowled at him.

"And you know this because?" he demanded angrily.

"One of the undead that attacked was a Goron. The tattoos he had are consistent with those that the members of Goron royal family are given. Hence, they will be receptive to a treaty that will bring peace once the Skull King is stopped. The Gerudo were equally sickened when they found out that Zel had been turned into an undead. They are a reasonable people who have to deal with extremely hard circumstances. The Sheikah will help, should the proper respect be shown. Their leader was almost killed by _your _king; Aegri broke the treaty, so you must give them cause to reinstate it. A promise of peace will most likely do, just follow through with it. As for the Zora-"

"They will only consider this peace treaty you speak of should you be receptive to what I have to say." Link whirled at the voice, his hand on his sword. Before him stood a tall Zora warrior, wearing the robes of an ambassador. Link removed his hand and surveyed the Zora. He stood proudly before them in a relaxed, yet ready, pose. His arm fins were rigid, proof that they were used for the popular technique known as the Zora Boomerang. His head fin sloped backwards and had a distinctive tattoo on it. Likewise, his right arm had a complex tattoo on it. Link smiled to himself; this was most likely Mikau's illustrious ancestor. Or, at least one of them, as he was descended from a line of Zora heroes.

"Would you be Akoni?" Link asked him, remembering the genealogy lesson that Mikau's mask had given him. The Zora looked at him in suspicion.

"That is my name. Tell me, strange youth, how do you know it? We do not give our names to the land folk." Link smiled, amused. Akoni had chosen to call the 'land folk' by the Hylian equivalent, and not by the Zora term, which was extremely demeaning.

"A descendant of yours is a good friend of mine in my time." Akoni smiled, and passed over the fact that Link was from another time when he answered.

"So my line survives. I am glad. Is he a warrior?"

"One of the best," Link said sincerely, remembering the tales of Mikau's exploits. Akoni smiled warmly, and extended his right hand. Link grasped it, extending his left, which Akoni then grasped. This was the Zora's traditional handshake, where each member grasped the others fins, or in this case, the upper arms.

"Welcome to my friendship, and may your days be long," Akoni spoke in Zora; he spoke a traditional Zora greeting to a new acquaintance or friend. Link smiled in return and spoke the expected return greeting, which included his name. He could speak some Zora from his time when he wore Mikau's mask, but it was heavily accented and very jarred.

Akoni laughed, "You shall never cease to amaze me, warrior of many talents. Now, shall we get down to business?" Link nodded and turned to face Aedan, who was smiling in relief. Two of the advisors were scowling; the others wore similar expressions to that of Aedan.

"What can we do for you?" Aedan asked politely, and Akoni gave his message.

The tale that Akoni told was not an uplifting one. The Zora king's youngest daughter had been kidnapped by the undead. The Skull King had ransomed her for the Zora's Sapphire, and he had sent one of her fins as proof. The King, beside himself in grief, knew not what to do, for the Zora's Sapphire was a treasure from the Goddesses. About a seven day after the ransom note had been sent, an undead force attacked the Zora's main city, which was at the source of the Zora's River. Leading the force, to their dismay, was the young princess. She was aided by a Hylian girl, who was also undead. The ambassador to the Hylians recognized her, and told the king that it was Zelda, daughter of Kelvin and niece to the Hylian king. Mourning, the king had sent Akoni to tell the Hylian king of this and to propose a cease fire, or if possible, to draft a peace treaty.

When Akoni had finished, he stared at Aedan expectantly. Aedan was trying to think of what to say while ignoring his advisors; not an easy task.

"Will the lot of you shut up!" he finally shouted. It was late, he was tired, and he did not need their ceaseless arguing.

Some of the advisors had the grace to look abashed, but Aegri's favourites would not be swayed. Indignant, they drew themselves up and prepared to bombard Aedan until he acquiesced and listened to them. Kelvin, noticing this, cut in before they could begin.

"I believe that was an order," he stated quietly, daring the advisors to refute him. "Sir Akoni, thank you for your tale. We too, have seen the cause of this. Aegri is also in the ranks of the undead now."

"That would explain the new king," Akoni stated and Aedan, as well as Kelvin, nodded. The advisors looked even angrier, if that was possible.

"It is late," Akoni said suddenly, "And you are undoubtedly tired. We can continue this in the morning."

"Very well," Aedan agreed, not bothering to conceal his relief.

Akoni was shown to the house that was kept ready for diplomats, while Link followed Aedan and Kelvin back to their house. He did not want to infringe on their hospitality when they were going through this period of turmoil and grief, but he had no where else to go, and he knew no one else. Not to mention a good number of people would rather kill him than help him.

Aedan groaned when the door shut.

"I can't do this," he stated, flopping down on the couch. Kelvin raised an eyebrow, staring at his son.

"What do you mean?"

"This king stuff. I can't do it; I can't be king."

"Nonsense." Kelvin was visibly shaken, and Link had a bit of an idea why. Should Aedan abdicate, the logical successor would be Kelvin. And it looked like Kelvin was not too keen on filling that post.

"You are the heir, or at least you were. You have been trained for this day for years Aedan; this is your job." He was in the kitchen as he said this, putting water on the stove.

"I could always abdicate." The pot fell.

"No."

"Father, please."

"No. Do you know who is up next, should you abdicate? I am. And I will **not** be the next king; I will not, you hear me?" Aedan stared at his father, in disbelief. Kelvin had never protested so violently; to his son, it seemed as if another person stood in his father's shoes.

"Fine." Stalking off, Aedan entered his room and slammed the door. Sighing, Kelvin picked up the pot and put it back on the stove, refilling it with water.

"He has a point," Link said quietly. Kelvin stiffened.

"Just listen. You can either agree with me or disagree, but listen. Those advisors, they're too powerful. Aedan won't always have you to stop them from berating him until he gives in. They don't respect him. In fact, they didn't even respect Aegri from the looks of it. However, they respect you."

"I will not become king," Kelvin stated quietly, but firmly.

"It is up to you, but I was always told that those who do not want to have power use it the most wisely."

"I do not need to be lectured by a guest, no matter what his age." Link stopped there, sensing a sensitive subject.

"Then I'll bid you goodnight." He then left Kelvin to his tea and his thoughts, however unwanted they were.

The next day, Link set out for the Sheikah complex. He could sense his unwelcome, and due to the increased demands on Aedan's time and his argument with Kelvin, he could not rely on them for help. So he offered to go and tell Izra of what happened to her brother and to bring her and Impa here.

Aedan had agreed gratefully; it was one less thing he had to orchestrate. The talks with Akoni were going well when Link left, and he had a hopeful view of future relations with the Zora.

Before he left, Link had set a warp point just inside the camp, near a deserted corner. He then warped to the Shadow Temple by means of the Nocturne of Shadow. Impa and Izra were actually outside when he arrived; they had noticed smoke signals on the horizon.

"Do you know what they say?" Impa asked as he walked up.

"Hello to you too," he said, peering at the distant plumes. "They say that the prince is gone, to stop looking. Then, I can't make out the name, but someone is to meet the Goron king." Izra looked at Link, impressed. He brushed away her compliments; the skill he had in reading Goron smoke signals was gained the same way his ability to speak Zora was, but from Darmani's mask instead of Mikau's.

"So what news do you bring?" Izra asked as they were returning to the complex.

"Well, Aegri is dead. Aedan is now king, though he's not happy about it. The advisors are a pain in the ass." Izra nodded, agreeing with his assessment of the advisors. Link paused, not knowing how to phrase the next part.

"And Izal? Did you see him?"

"Yes… I did."

"What is it? What is the matter?" Izra asked, noting his hesitance. When he did not answer, she stopped and stood in front of him, hands on her hips.

"Tell me boy, what happened to my brother?"

"He's in the Hylian infirmary with a stab wound to his back. He has a punctured lung."

"Who did it?"

"Who else?"

"Tell me; I've had enough of your games!"

"Aegri."

Izra stared at him, pale and unblinking. She suddenly turned around, pivoting on one foot, and stormed off. Link sighed and turned back to face the smoke.

"Who killed Aegri?" Impa asked softly.

"I did."

"Why?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, you know it does," Impa said, staring at Link. Before, he had always made sure that he never killed anyone unless they were Ganon's goons. Whenever possible, he knocked his opponents, whoever they were, unconscious.

"He stabbed Izal in the back."

"That never qualified as a reason before," Impa remarked.

"My reasons are my own," Link stated, ending the conversation on that topic.

"Why are you here then?" Impa asked, exasperated. She would find out, sooner or later.

"To get you and Izra; Aedan needs to talk to you." Link turned to Impa, his eyes sad.

"Can you tell Izra? I . . . I can't face her right now." Impa almost asked, but something kept her back. Maybe it was the look in his eyes, she did not know, but she did not ask. Nodding, she went to find the other woman.

Izra was instructing another when Impa found her.

"Hain is to be in charge, understand? I will be gone for a while; Izal has been injured, and I need to be with him." The Sheikah nodded, showing his understanding.

"You won't need a horse," Impa said as Izra turned towards the stables. Izra whirled around; she had not noticed the Sage.

"I'm going," she stated.

"I know. But Link was sent to bring us, so you will not need a horse."

"Oh?" Izra raised an eyebrow, confused. Impa shrugged.

"I don't know the exact means, but he'll have something up his sleeve." Extending her arm, she indicated that Izra precede her. Izra studied her for a moment, and then swept past her, returning to where Link waited for them.

"How are we to get there without a horse?" Izra demanded when she saw Link.

"Farore's Wind," Link stated. "It is a warping spell that allows the caster to return to the spot where he set a warp point. Hold onto my left arm, both of you. You don't want to get lost during the warp." Staring at them until they complied, he began the spell. As he chanted softly, green magic surrounded them, sending the three back to the Hylian camp.

Their appearance shocked the people who were standing nearby. The warp point had been noticed by some guards, and the elders were brought to inspect it. The sudden appearance of not only Link, but of the Sage and Izra, scared everyone.

"I knew it," one person whispered, "He's a sorcerer. Who else could throw fire and warp?"

"Aye," someone whispered back, "And he's trouble. Looks like he gets along well with those Sheikah dogs. Who is this guy, anyways?"

Impa glanced at Link; certain he had heard the exchange. His face betrayed nothing; he just stepped forward, beckoning to the two Sheikah to follow him. The crowd parted as they passed, acting as if Link was cursed or had leprosy.

"Why do they avoid him so?" Izra muttered in Sheikah. Her anger, once directed at Link, was now being directed at the Hylians who shunned the youth.

"He killed Aegri, and I suppose most do not trust sorcery," Impa replied. Izra snorted, her eyes snapping.

"Fools."

A/N: Poor Link, no one likes him. Sorry about taking so long, but school has been eating me and then I got a job (yay!) which means less time and all that. But more money…

Allyanna: Glad you liked the twist.

x636: Yes, I can be evil. Thank you for the comment.

Justin Time: You shall find out his motives later, but he was basically conned into it. And yeah . . . it wasn't pretty, but hey, that's why this story is rated T.


	10. Chapter 9 A Difficult Moment

I don't own anything to do with Zelda.

He did not like being undead; he did not like being in a limbo. His niece mocked him for his dislike; he deserved it, she would screech, after what he had done to her, he deserved it. Had he any emotions other than hate and disgust left, he probably would have agreed with her. Probably, but no necessarily. Even in life he had lacked many of the kinder emotions.

Aegri stared out across the wide expanse of the underground kingdom. He missed being king; he now had to answer to another's orders, and that person made sure to emphasize the once haughty king's position of servitude. Aegri ground his teeth thinking about it, causing a few to fall out. Sighing, he picked them up and shoved them back into his mouth, hoping they would stay in longer.

Why had he given Zel to this monster? He did not remember much, just vague ideas of promises and subtle encouragements. The only clear idea he could come up with was that he had been tricked into it; that the Skull King had overcome his virtue and caused him to give up his only niece and tear his brother's family apart. And now, here he was, condemned to a life of limbo.

He should have let the forest youth kill him a second time, he thought.

Zel too sat, staring across the expanse of the undead kingdom. Only she was on another side, far away from her uncle. While she too was only capable of hateful thoughts, she tried as hard as she could to remember and hold onto those memories of happy times. Of smiles and laughter, teasing and hugging, games and family dinners; those were the times she wished to bring up, to combat the feelings of despair and loneliness that swamped her soul.

When she had been with the Skull King at first, he had boasted to her that he had managed to con Aegri into giving her up. This had made her bitter, not only to the king but to her uncle as well. Zel may have been a naïve thirteen year old, but she knew enough to know that there had to be evil in the heart in order for something like this to be done. The Skull King had appealed to Aegri's sense of superiority and breached his defenses, and then managed to gain her as a prize. Aegri was not acting for the good of his people, as he fooled himself into believing, but for himself, so he could be superior to all the other races and kings. He wanted to be on top, and he would do anything to get there.

Zel glared at the grey expanse. She wanted to die, to leave this existence and never rise again. Yet she refused to go before her uncle; he would have to die first

_That damn boy should have killed him. _

A sad song drifted through the Hylian camp. It could be heard, softly, in the infirmary, where Izra sat next to her brother's sick bed, praying for him to open his eyes. When the song reached her ears, she turned her head towards the sound. Tears came to her eyes, so mournful and lonely was the tune. Somehow she knew that the player was Azaman; never had she heard such skillful playing.

"-ra…" a soft voice spoke. Izra's head whirled around; her brother had woken.

"Izal!" she breathed, "Hush, don't speak; you'll worsen your condition." Izal gave her a confused look.

"What happened?"

Izra sighed, "I'll tell you, but remain silent. You have a punctured lung. Aegri stabbed you in the back when you were at the Temple of Time with him, remember? Azaman and Aedan brought you back."

"Azaman?"

"He's the youth who the scouts reported seeing; the forest youth. It turns out he's from another time, and the Sage of Shadow came with him." Izal opened his mouth to ask another question, and Izra shook her head.

"Here, I'll just tell you what happened."

Link looked up from his playing as he heard footsteps. It was Izra, and she had a, well, soft expression on her face. It was one of apology and forgiveness, with sadness mixed in.

"Izal woke, and he wants to see you." Link paled. He did not want to face Izal, to here that he looked like 'her' again. And yet, in his heart, he wanted nothing more than to end this uncertainty. He wanted so much to believe that his dream was true, but then again, he also did not want to believe. But then, what would it change? He would still be parentless in his time, without a family and home.

"Will it be okay?" Link asked, trying to find a way out of going. Izra raised an eyebrow. Such reticence from the one had saved her brother?

"The healers actually recommend it. He's pretty worked up about this, and they want him calm." Link sighed, still stalling.

"But…"

"No buts," Izra proclaimed. "Unless you want to tell me why you don't want to go." She stared at him, trying to understand what was going on behind those troubled blue eyes. Link bit his lip; it seemed there was no way out of this.

"Let's go then."

Izra shook her head, "I have to go tell Aedan and Kelvin; you're an adult, you'll be fine."

"So you're going to make me go past all those people . . . alone?" Link looked away from Izra as he said this, and she sighed, relenting.

"Alright," she whispered, "I'll walk with you to the infirmary." Link smiled, the relief in his eyes all the thanks that she needed. She shook her head, and tousled his hair, much like she had for Aedan when he was younger.

"Hey!" Link exclaimed, ducking. Izra laughed.

"Come on, let's go. Time isn't stopping for us you know."

When Link walked over to Izal's bed, his heart was beating so hard that he swore others could hear it. Gulping, he sat in the chair next to the bed, and softly spoke,

"I'm here."

The injured man opened his eyes, staring into those that were the colour of ice.

"You've grown into such a fine young man," Izal breathed. Link's eyes opened wide, and he grasped the hand that was placed beside him.

"Link . . ." Izal began, "Link, where have you been?" Link bowed his head, biting his lip. The dream was real; the dream was real.

"I… I," he stammered, not knowing what to say. Izal stared at him, anxious. He wanted to meet his son, to understand him. But there was this gap between the two of them, a gap of years, of experiences. How old was Link, Izal wondered, how long had his son lived, not knowing that he had a family?

Shouts came from outside, and Link leapt up.

"I have to go," he muttered quickly and dashed out the door, leaving Izal to stare at him, perplexed and bewildered.

"Who is he?" Izal murmured to himself, "Who is this person that my son has become?"

A swirl of fabric was his only answer as a silent witness left. Gliding through a side door that lead to the town's center, the Sage of Time wondered the same thing.

The shouts that Link and Izal heard came from in front of the king's hall. A fairly sizeable crowd had gathered in front, with five men standing in the foreground. They were the ringleaders, and they were giving Aedan their demands.

Kelvin stood behind his son, a look of worry and anger on his face. Aedan gave full credit to his teachers' crammed lessons on public speaking; his face was expressionless as he listened to the demands. That is, until the last one was given.

"We want those two newcomers, the fake sage and that forest boy, to be expelled from all Hylian gatherings. Also, we want it to be known that anyone who deals with them will be made an enemy of the Hylian people."

"No."

The five stared at Aedan, shocked. This boy, this nineteen year old, dared to interrupt them, when even Aegri listened to them?

"I will not banish the man who saved my life, nor will I banish our only link to the Sage of Light in the Temple of Time." Aedan glared at the ringleaders, and Link noticed that Kelvin's face had taken on one of relief. His son had finally found the inner strength to stand up to others. Link smiled inwardly; Kelvin had been right, Aedan was the one who was to be king. He would not be able to rely on the respect due to his father; he would have to earn his own.

"But sire, please listen. Your uncle, the great king that he was, knew the benefits in listening to his people." Murmurs from the crowd arose from that statement. Aegri had made it a point that he would listen to people. Unfortunately, this evolved into him listening, and relying on, certain groups' information and opinions.

"My uncle was not a great king. He sold my sister into certain death, and he prolonged the war by refusing countless times to negotiate. And he only listened to certain groups, my dear councilor. Otherwise he would have heard the cries of woman and children, mourning the ones they lost to the war. Or he may have heard the ambassadors that returned, speaking of peaceful trains of thought in the other tribes.

"But he listened to people like you instead. So perhaps we have you to thank for the prolongation of the war? Perhaps we should thank you for the countless soldiers who died, fighting for a mad man's dream?" Aedan stared down at the five councilors, who had paled considerably. Skilled rhetorics, they knew when they had lost the argument. And they suddenly had, by a large margin. But never before had they been in such a hostile environment.

The crowd had listened to Aedan's speech and had, for the most part, agreed. Why had the war gone on for so long, and why had Aegri sold his niece? Then there was the point of him stabbing an ally, a fellow king, in the back. The Hylians may not have been fond of the alliance as a whole, but as a whole, honour and virtue were well respected. And to have their king go against all traditional values was unthinkable. Many agreed with Aedan's statement of Aegri being a madman, for what other explanation was there?

Scanning the crowd, Link caught a familiar face. A familiar cowl would be more accurate of a description though. Not far from Link, on the edge of the crowd, stood the Sage of Time. Scowling, Link walked over. Smiling, the Sage regarded Link.

"He's a good student," he remarked. "Picks up real quick."

"Who?" Link asked, confused.

"The king, who else?" The Sage indicated Aedan with a thrust of his chin. "I gave him some lessons on rhetoric; he can't use his father's respect to rule; he needs to earn his own." Link sighed, shaking his head. Would this odd man never leave him alone?

Grinning, the Sage turned back to Link.

"By the way, the name's Enzaman." He then turned to leave, but Link grabbed his cloak.

"What does that name mean?" he asked softly, suddenly curious. The Sage frowned, but Link continued to hold the cloak. He wanted an answer.

"It's High Tongue, meaning 'a time in the future'. 'En' is an indicator of the future, and 'zaman' is a root for anything dealing with time."

Link's eyes widened. "So wait… Azaman… is?"

Enzaman chuckled, "You catch on quick. Quicker than your cousin."

Link winced, and Enzaman shrugged.

"You'll have to get used to that sooner or later. Anyways, Azaman means 'a time in the past' in High Tongue. 'A' denotes the past, and again, 'zaman' is for time. Now, if you don't mind letting go, I need to go deal with a very uppity princess." Link let go, dazed a bit by the new information.

Enzaman stared at him, and then turned to leave.

_By the way,_ he said to Link using the mind communication of the Sages, _Your princess asks your forgiveness._ Link jerked his head around to stare at the Sage, but he was long gone.

"Zelda…" he whispered, and after staring at the crowd, he wandered off, dazed, to find a place to hide and think.

Impa found him, some time later, lying on his back, staring at the sky.

"What's wrong?" She asked, sitting down beside him. He shrugged, not wanting to talk.

"Link," she whispered, "Link, you can't keep this bottled up. What is it?" He closed his eyes, trying very hard not to scream at her to mind her own business.

"I don't want to talk about it," he sighed, "Not now at least. Later, ok?"

"No, I don't think that will work," she stated, receiving a glare. "You need to put these demons, whoever they are, behind you in order to get back."

"What if I don't want to go back?" This time Link was on the receiving end of a glare as Impa berated him.

"Think for once Link! I know that you're under stress, but think! You would exist in two different places; in the forest, as a child, and where ever you decide to go, as an adult. If you think that Time is already under strain, think about what will happen then!" She paused, taking a deep breath. Link's nerves were not the only ones that were frayed.

"Also, I think that there was a reason we, or you really, were sent to this time. Someone is trying to bring back Ganon, and they need you out of the way."

"I can't be a hero again Impa, I just can't. What will happen, will we all be sent back again, to forget? Or will I be looked upon as a sorcerer, someone too powerful to be trusted? I just want to get my horse and leave. Leave Hyrule, leave this damned Hero of Time business, and leave all the heart aches that seem to go along with the royal family. I'm Link, not the Hero of Time, not Azaman, not the Mask Hero, or whatever they're calling me in Termina. Just Link, plain and simple."

"No, no it is not plain and simple, and you know that." Link closed his eyes and groaned, while Impa jerked her head around.

Enzaman stood there, frowning at Link.

"Nothing is plain and simple, Hero of Time."

"Don't call me that, Sage."

"Then what shall I call you? Fairy boy? Azaman? Or, how about Link-"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Link shouted as he jumped up, unable to take anymore. "Shut the fuck up! Do you have any idea what this is like? Any! I feel like I'm going to explode with all my questions, which will never be answered! And then there's this whole bit of me being the evil sorcerer. Every time, every fucking time I try to help, to do the right thing, I get royally screwed over! I'm tired of this! I just want to leave this all behind and be a no-body!" Link glared at the two of them, daring them to say something. When they did not answer, he stormed off. Neither Sage thought it wise to follow him.

"What were you going to call him?" Impa asked softly when Link no longer remained within hearing.

"By his father's name," the Sage of Time answered. Impa turned and stared at him.

"His . . . father?"

"Link is originally from this time," Enzaman began, "His mother was a Hylian woman, and she died getting him to the safety of the forest. He recently found out who his father is; I'll let him tell you who he is. That is part of the problem; the other part has to deal with the reception he's getting."

"He's expected some of it though," Impa put in.

"Aye, but how much can you expect? He may be three hundred odd years old, but he's really only seventeen. This is more than any seventeen year old can ever hope to handle, no matter how much he is prepared for it. Besides, finding out who his family relations are does not help this matter either."

"Why are you telling me this?" Impa asked a moment later.

Enzaman turned to face her, and Impa could dimly see sad eyes staring back at her.

"Because someone has to know. Someone has to help him; the Sages need Link, and it is only fair that a Sage helps him when he needs help."

"Why not you? You seem to have a better idea of what is going on." The other Sage winced and turned away.

"I've done all I can. It . . . it would be difficult, to say the least, should I help him. I'll do what I can, but you'll see what I mean later." He turned back to Impa and made a shallow bow.

"Goodbye, I wish you luck." Impa opened her mouth to stop him, but the Sage had disappeared. Cursing, she glared at the spot where he had been.

"How the hell am I supposed to help him if he won't tell me what's going on?" Footsteps behind her caused her to turn, and her anger dissipated. Aedan stood before her, looking extremely confused.

"What was that about?" he asked.

"Link's in a funk," Impa stated shortly, "And I've been told by the Sage of Time, whatever his name is-"

"It's Enzaman."

Impa blinked, and then continued, "Okay, Enzaman has given me charge to bring him out of it. Only he's not talking."

"Ah." Aedan sat down and leaned back on his hands.

"Any ideas?" Impa asked.

"He's bound to get hungry eventually, so I'd just wait for him to appear. Then we'll pounce."

"We?"

Aedan looked up at her, grinning. "You don't think I'd let you have all the fun, now do you?" Impa shook her head at him, but did not object.

Link stared across the fields of Hyrule, trying to sort his thoughts. However, he was having an extremely difficult time doing so. For one thing, two faces kept intruding on his thoughts. Two young women, strong in spirit, kept intruding on his thoughts of this time, of the era he was in.

It was no surprise that they did so, for they were the two who had taken his heart. One, from the time that was but no longer is, and the other from the time that is. He had loved the princess Zelda, but then he had been sent back, to forget. His feelings had disappeared, for he no longer knew of the strong spirited princess. He grew up in Termina, a land far away from the plains of Hyrule and its princess. There he grew to love the lively red head, Romani. The annoyance that he had felt in her presence left him as she grew into a self assured and independent young woman, beautiful in spirit and body.

His old feelings for Zelda had resurfaced, and now the two were battling each other. Link sighed; this was too much. How was he supposed to think on what was going on now, with Ganon back in the picture and all, while he kept on thinking of these two?

"What's on your mind?" a soft voice said from behind. Link spun and lost his balance. Looking up from his sprawled position, he saw Kelvin standing over him, chuckling.

"It's not funny," Link muttered as he sat up, brushing stray leaves from his clothes and hair.

"And my mind is just fine, thank you." He turned away, looking across the plains again.

"Then why, young warrior, was I able to sneak up on you?" Kelvin asked, causing Link to scowl.

"I never said it wasn't full; I just said it was fine," he growled, trying to regain his dignity. Kelvin laughed at that and sat down besides him.

"I'm here to apologize for snapping at you the other day," he said after a few minutes of silence. Link looked at him, confused for a moment until he remembered.

"Your point was valid, and had Aedan not found the ability to stand up to the nobles, it would have been even more valid. Yet it was a truth that I did not want to face, and I apologize for snapping at you when you pointed it out."

Link shrugged it off, "It's okay. I've been yelled at for less before. And no one apologized to me then." Kelvin nodded and turned to face the plains.

"What do you see in these scarred lands?" he asked softly.

"I see hope," Link replied. "The lands are destroyed by war, yet you can still see the grass that dares to grow. Flowers will still bloom, and rain will still nourish the plains. Time moves, and we can either follow it or be left behind. The blunders of the peoples of the land will not be seen in three hundred years, and that gives me comfort."

"Why?"

"Because if the land can forget something as momentous as this war, then the peoples of Hyrule can someday forget someone as important as me." Kelvin stared at Link, silent.

"What is bothering you so much, Azaman?" Link winced; he was beginning to hate all his names.

"Two women, a psychopath, and the father I never knew." Kelvin blinked.

"Well, let's begin with the women. Who are they?" Link sighed.

"Do I have to go through this?" he asked pitifully.

"It's either with me or when the Sage and Aedan managed to grab you," Kelvin replied kindly, understanding Link's reticence.

"Damn them…" Link muttered, causing Kelvin to chuckle.

"The first, well… she's the Hylian princess in my time. The other is a young woman who owns a ranch with her sister. The thing is that I've lived two, well, two sets of seven years. I'll explain it to you, but you're going to have to keep it to yourself." Kelvin nodded in agreement, and Link quickly told him about the time when Ganondorf gained power and how he had been sent back in time.

"So I grew up, for the second time, in another land, and that's where the second girl lives. And I've fallen in love with her. But now that I've regained my memories of that other time…"

"You've regained your feelings for the princess, correct?" Link nodded. Kelvin sighed, wondering how to help Link deal with this pickle.

"Well, the memories you have of the princess are just that, memories. Technically, it didn't happen, and for all you know, she may have changed. In fact, she probably did, as the experiences that shaped her then did not happen, and even if she remembers them, to act how she did then would cause many people to wonder, as they do not know of those past circumstances. Wait until you meet her again and see how she is now; then I would go back to this puzzle you have."

Link nodded, relieved. It was good to push one problem to the back of his mind.

"Now who is this psychopath?"

"Umm… his name is Ganon, and he calls himself the King of Evil."

"The guy you battled in that other time?" Kelvin asked, confused.

"Yeah… it seems that he is the one who had his crony send me and the Sage back here, to keep us out of the way for him to return."

"But I thought that you defeated him?"

"I only defeated his body on Hyrule. He lives in a different dimension, trapped by the first Sages. Every now and then he gains enough power to send part of his soul out to gain a body and to try and take over the land. And besides, that time is now gone, though he most likely remembers it."

"I see. And you think he'll be waiting for you when you return"

"If I return," Link muttered darkly.

"Well, you can't really do anything about that headache, so it's best to let that lie, and when it comes it comes. Now, who is your father?"

Link turned to stone; he refused to answer that. How could he? Kelvin was Izal's good friend and considered him a brother. How could he help him with this problem?

Kelvin noticed Link's reluctance to answer and sighed.

"I'm not going to push you for a name, but whoever he is, I'm sure he would be very proud of you. I know I would be, if you were my son." With that he stood up and left Link to the remainder of his thoughts.

_Well… at least I only have one problem to dwell on, _he thought as he stood up. Brushing himself off, he looked at the camp. Cooking scents were starting to drift towards him, and he found himself suddenly hungry. Walking towards the camp, he mulled over what to do.

_If anything, I'll talk to Impa about it. She'll have some sort of idea of what to do._

Thank you to everyone who reviewed and has born with me; I know this chapter took forever and a day to get out. Life has been hectic until lately, and this has been a difficult chapter. I had to deal with emotional stuff and all.

And yes, Link has a potty mouth.

And for my loyal reviewers! I love you all!

Allyanna: Thanks!

x636: Hehe, thankies. Hope you like this one too.

Pete: Thank you! Your comment made me feel all warm and happy inside. Yes, there is more coming. Link still has to get back to his time, after all.

Justin- Time: Hope your keyboard is fixed now. Yeah, well… the Hylians aren't too sure what to think of Aegri now that they find out about all this horrible stuff he's done.

Ziffie-Link: Thank you. I was surprised to hear I was the first one to do something like this. Yes, Link is old. He doesn't look it though.


	11. Chapter 10 A Decision is Made

I don't own anything to do with Zelda.

"Princess?"

"Oh… I'm sorry," Zelda said, jolted from her reverie.

"His majesty wishes to see you. It's about your visit with the Sage of Light." Zelda sighed and thanked the servant, and then set off to see her father.

As she walked to her father's study, she wished that once more she was walking around as Sheik and not as Zelda, princess of Hyrule. Then she would not have been caught returning from the Chamber of Sages. The shocked priest who had seen her return rushed to her father to tell him, certain that the king would be happy to hear that his daughter was so favoured by the goddesses. He certainly was. Despite his good intentions, Zelda wished that the man had listened to her and kept his mouth shut. He had thought that she was merely being modest, and she was not keen on telling him otherwise.

_Impa would know what to do,_ she thought bitterly. _But if she was here, then she would've been the one to see Rauru, and **she** wouldn't have been caught._

"You wished to see me, sire?" The bearded man behind the huge desk looked up at her words. The king, no longer young, sported several grey hairs in his light brown hair and beard. Several generations removed from the royal family, he had been crowned ruler when his wife had died. Before then, he had merely been prince consort to his wife. Now he looked at his only child, who had suddenly become a stranger to him.

"There's no need for formalities here, Zelda."

"Yes father." The king looked at her, concerned. His daughter's eyes, once bright and mischievous at times, were now clouded with an unknown sorrow and burden.

"What did the Sage say?" he asked kindly. Zelda bit her lip, unsure what to say.

"He said that Impa and the young man she was supposed to find are fine, and that they will return when they are needed."

The king smiled in relief, "That is good news. Anything else?"

Zelda nodded, she had to tell him this. "Yes, he said to tell you to warn the other tribes for the undead are grouping together in preparation for a combined attack. He does not know when they will attack, but he is almost certain that they will."

The king sighed, placing his head in his hands. "I see. Very well, I shall warn the other tribes."

"May I go now?" Zelda asked softly. Her father looked up, surprised.

"You know that you don't need permission to leave. What is wrong Zelda? Are you not feeling well?" The princess nodded, glad for the excuse.

"Yes. I think I just need a long nap."

"Very well, you can go. I hope you feel better tomorrow." Nodding, she left the study, fleeing for the comfort of her own room.

The princess not only had to deal with worry for Impa and Link, but also with feelings that had risen once again. Guilt and love were foremost of those feelings. Guilt from her actions at the end of the seven years that once were and love for the young man who had saved her and Hyrule. Though she had resigned herself to a loveless marriage due to her status as princess, now she wished even more so that it was not so.

_But even if I could marry who I wanted, who says that he would still care for me after what I did?_ She thought bitterly as she threw herself onto her bed. Rolling over, she stared at the high canopy, trying to figure out her thoughts. Her practical side insisted she think about the undead grouping together, but her emotional side refused to be quiet. It shouted worries of how Link thought about her, and concerns about how he and Impa were doing in the past. Try as she might, she could not quell these worries, and that had led to many sleepless nights. The princess was tired, worn down, and worried.

Allya watched her charge with worried eyes. Too many changes were happening, and they happened too fast. Not only had Impa been missing for quite some time, but the undead were grouping. The denizens of the night had not grouped together in numbers this large since the Tribal Wars. Add to the threat the fact that they were short one Sage and a hero.

Rauru had explained to her Link's unique relationship with Time. Well, unique if you took out the Sage of Time that is. Allya shook her head as she thought of the strange man. According to Rauru, the Sage of Time had been around before he had become the Sage of Light.

_"Enzaman found me when I was still a young man. He told me of the Sages, and that the goddesses had chosen me to wield Light. I did not believe him at the time; we did not have Sages then, but not long after he left, the magic of Light came to me. Magic was different then; we all had some of it. However, I had such a large amount, as did the other Sages, that it was odd. We were sent to the king himself, which was an honour beyond all else for me. My family was a peasant family, farmers. When we arrived, Enzaman appeared soon after. Ignoring the king, he spoke to all of us, asking if we believed him now. He then turned to the king and explained to him about the Sages. The king, shocked that the goddesses would send High Magic in such quantities to seven people, ordered that we be taught in all its uses by the best of his mages. During those lessons, some which were taught by Enzaman, I learned many things._

_"One had to deal with Enzaman himself. I found that he is an anomaly amongst the Sages. While we have set times to be Sage, he does not. Or at least, he does not have one that I am aware of. This may be because he is the only Sage of Time. While there have been two Sages for every other Temple, he is the only one for Time." Rauru sighed, looking at the floor. _

_ "And I confess," he said softly, "That I have come to rely on him far more than I should. He comes to me, looking more and more harried each time, and I give him no reassurances, but instead ask for them. He is a good man Allya, do not fear him."_

Despite his intentions to speak to Impa on the matter of his father, Link had remained silent. Instead, he spent his time away from the small area where Izal was confined to. A few weeks had passed since his talk with Kelvin, and they had been relatively peaceful. Despite an attack in which the youngest Gerudo princess was captured, the undead had stayed away from the other tribes. Most thought this was due to the fact that the undead king was gathering his forces for a final assault. Link agreed with them; three of the six keys were here, and five of them would be in the area once the kings of the Goron and Zora tribes arrived. The only one that would remain behind would be the Kokiri Emerald, safe within the depths of the forest.

The representatives from the tribes used the free time to begin a cease fire pact between the tribes, which they hoped would evolve into a peace treaty. Link and Impa chose not to sit in on it, and the writers of the pact soon learned that neither would give details on what it was like in their time.

"You are writing the histories, not me, not Azaman," Impa had said shortly the last time one of the writers had protested against her silence. She instead spent her time training Sheikah scouts, as Izra was involved in the writing of the pact and Izal was still recovering.

Izal's health improved rapidly each day. Aedan had ordered that the best healers were to heal his uncle, and some of the best Sheikah healers had made the journey to help heal their leader. By now he could walk around a bit, and frequently spent his time outside. His mind filled with thoughts on his son, he was usually thinking about how to get a hold of Link and how to get some answers. As of yet, he had not told anyone about the relationship between him and Link, but he was beginning to consider talking to Kelvin or Izra about it.

Kelvin, now that things had calmed down, could finally grieve for his wife and daughter. When Izal had asked about how he was doing earlier, Kelvin admitted that he had pushed their deaths to the back of his mind.

"Should I even think about it, I'll be useless," he confessed. "My son needs me, and as does Azaman until this anger against him dissipates, I can't let myself do that." Now though, normalcy had returned, to a degree at least, and Kelvin was finally able to say goodbye to his wife and pray for his daughter's soul.

Link was now hiding from the vast majority of the camp's population. General consensus had him as a hero; most people now thought of Aegri as a villain and believed that Link had done them a great service by killing the mad king. Link was not sure which was worse: being considered an evil sorcerer and being shunned, or being considered a hero and being spoken to by almost every inhabitant of the camp. Opting for solitude, he spent a lot of time outside the camp. This separation from the rest of the population had another bonus: Izal could not find him out here, giving him more time to figure out how to deal with this new knowledge, theoretically, at least. He had yet to think about how to deal this new familial tie between him, the Sheikah leader, and the Hylian royal family.

Aedan had grown quickly in these past few weeks and was turning into a fine young king. After firing Aegri's advisors, he had taken new ones, based not only on his father and Impa's advice, but also on his own judgment. When he had free time, he was often found sparring with Link, who would risk the chance of being found by his father at these times. The two, both prodigies with the blade, enjoyed learning new techniques from each other, and the challenge that the day's match brought.

Link flopped on the chair in the kitchen. He was still staying with Kelvin and Aedan, despite various offers from other people. Tired from sparring with Aedan, he did not notice the silvery glow until it was right in front of him. Gasping, he leapt up, knocking the chair over. It was the woman from his dream, Xyli, his mother.

_: You haven't talked to him yet: _she stated.

"Him?" Link asked weakly.

Stomping her foot, the specter glared at him. _: Your father! You don't have forever you know! Now, he knows and is willing to talk to you, so talk to him! Or:_ she paused, appearing to think.

"Or what?"

_: Or I'm telling Izra:_ Xyli said with a grin. Link's eyes widened in shock, and then narrowed in a glare.

"Why? Why must I do this? I have enough on my mind!" he said angrily, rebelling.

_: Because you **must**. When else will you have this chance? And Link, think about when you finally have return to the future. : _She smiled softly, reaching her arm out to Link, who was staring at the floor.

_: Darling, I know this is hard: _she began, but Link cut her off.

"No, no you don't. Because you didn't have to live three hundred years in a forest, thinking that you were wrong, not right, because you didn't have a fairy. You didn't have to feel like you'd been living a lie when you found out that you weren't Kokiri, but Hylian. For once," he paused, his throat choked, "For once, I'd like to know what in the world is going on." Cold arms encircled him, yet warmth flowed into his body from the ghostly figure. He looked at his mother, shocked.

_: Then talk to him. Talk to your father, and find out what is going on. :_ Withdrawing, she smiled at him and kissed him on the forehead.

_: I must go now, but keep well. I sent you that dream for a reason, and that was to get you to talk with your father. He won't bite, you know. Goodbye my son. : _ She turned and was about to fade away, when Kelvin walked in. He stopped, shocked at the sight of seeing his sister. Grinning, Xyli floated over, hugged her brother, waved at the two, and disappeared. Kelvin turned to Link, who was picking up the chair.

"That wasn't my sister I just saw, was it?" Kelvin asked softly.

"Ummm… well, technically," Link started.

"I'll take that as a yes," Kelvin said, exasperated. "Why was she here?" Link was silent, until Kelvin grabbed his shoulder and turned him, forcing Link to look at him.

"I had thought it a coincidence, but you have Izal's eyes. And you look very similar to my father and grandfather now that I think about it. You're her son aren't you? You're Link." Link swallowed, unable to look away.

"Dad? What's going on?" Aedan asked, confused as he had just entered. Link took the moment to break away and ran to his room, firmly shutting the door behind him. Sitting on the bed, he put his head in his hands, only to find that they were shaking so much he could not support it. Dimly, he heard Kelvin telling Aedan about Xyli's ghost. Soon, someone knocked on his door.

"Come in," he said softly. _I can't run from this forever,_ he thought bleakly. It was Aedan, and he sat on the bed beside Link before speaking.

"Is it true?" he asked, "Are you my cousin?" Weakly, Link nodded. Aedan nodded, staring at his hands.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

Link thought for a little while before answering. "I… I was scared. For so long, I was the boy without a family, the boy without a fairy. I have no idea what a family is supposed to be like really, and I wasn't sure what would happen should I tell. And then… and then he tells me…" Link stopped, his throat choked again.

"He? You mean uncle Izal?" Aedan asked, confused. Link nodded.

"You've got to talk to him!" Aedan said suddenly, jumping up. "You need to talk to him, Az-, Link, because then you'll be able to sort this out! You'll be able to see what it's like to have a family! How awesome it is." He stopped, looking at his cousin, who had a startled look on his face.

"He won't yell; you'll be fine," Aedan said, reassuringly. Link hung his head, defeated.

"I guess… I guess you're right," he admitted. Aedan smiled.

"Of course I am! Now, let's get you some food and then we'll find uncle Izal." Link winced, but stood up all the same. Smiling, Aedan lead him into the kitchen, where Kelvin waited with lunch.

Link, despite his family members' attempts, never did speak to Izal that day. Instead, he stared in horror as the Gerudo king was brought into the camp. Caught by the undead, only Havlah and Shaksh, a tough Gerudo fighter, had survived the encounter. The king was in terrible condition; he would cough up blood occasionally and his breath came out in wheezes. Amazed that he had made it this far on horseback, Link could only respect the tough Gerudo. They certainly were a force to be reckoned with.

Some good had come out of it though. Despite being captured weeks ago, the youngest Gerudo princess, Naaboi, had returned. She had managed to keep from being taken to the Skull King by escaping and being an overall nuisance to her captors. The young girl was now with her sister, who had come before to help right the peace treaty, sitting by their father's bedside. Izal had given up his spot in the infirmary for the king and was now staying in one of the rooms for the ambassadors.

When Naboo, the eldest princess, emerged from the tent, her face was one of rage. Storming over to where Aedan sat with the other ambassadors, she placed her hands on the table, leaning over it.

"The bastard has made undead that use fire," she breathed, barely able to contain her anger.

"What?" Izra demanded, rising.

"They are skulls, surrounded by a large flame. Cackling, these things bounce along until the hit and burn their target." Link, who was standing nearby, walked over.

"Bubbles." He said softly when he was close enough. The others looked at him in askance.

"That's what we call them, Bubbles. There are some that have a blue flame and are called Blue Bubbles. The blue ones can curse you, and then you can't draw your sword; it somehow gets stuck in its sheath. But it goes away after a little while. The normal ones though are bad. You can't get rid of the flame easily, and they are hard to hit. And," he paused here. "And, as far as I know, daylight doesn't hurt them in the way it does the other types of undead."

"Which explains why father was attacked. They weren't expecting to be attacked in the middle of the afternoon!" Naboo exclaimed angrily. Link nodded.

"The Bubbles are his new project," a soft, though harsh voice, said. Spinning, Link faced a familiar undead. Zel looked up, a sad, yet pained expression on her face.

"He has been experimenting with them for years, from what the others say. It was them that attacked the village that Auntie Xyli was staying at when she died. But they weren't perfected then, so the Bubbles all died." Zel suddenly stopped, gasping for air.

"What is wrong?" Link asked softly, confused.

"I… I didn't come with his permission," the young girl confessed. "I came to ask you… a favour."

"What?"

"Kill me. Bring up the sun, shoot me with an arrow, what ever! I don't care! Just kill me!" Link stared at her in surprise, as did the rest.

"I'm tired of being this horrible," she sobbed, "And this is the last chance I'll have before… before it becomes final, and my mind goes to that of an undead's. Please," she begged, "I've tried for so long to fight this. And I've been such a horrible person! Just, please, kill me. Let me die." She looked at Link, her eyes pleading. Had she been human, her eyes would have been filled with tears.

Moved, Link brought his ocarina to his lips. A joyful song came out, calling the sun to rise.

"No!" a voice hissed. It was the Zora princess, rising and trying to stop Link. She was too late, and too was hit by the sun's rays. As the two undead fell to the ground from the sun's powerful rays, a new song floated through the air. Aedan smiled sadly, remembering it and its healing properties. It was the Song of Healing, calling the battered spirits to leave their anger and hate behind and rise to the heavens, where the goddesses waited with their loved ones.

"Thank you," two soft voices whispered. The two princesses waved at Link and the ambassadors before disappearing into the sun's light. Stepping forward, Aedan picked up his sister's body, now free from the decay forced upon it during her undead state. Akoni, the Zora ambassador, did the same for the Zora princess. He followed Aedan as he took his sister to the House of the Dead for preparation for burial.

"I think… I think we're done for today," Izra said softly. Link nodded and walked back to Kelvin's house, where he promptly fell asleep. Kelvin had already left, informed by a runner of what had happened.

That evening, when he woke, Link found a note waiting for him in place of his hosts.

_Link,_

_We are at the House of the Dead. I can not thank you enough_

_for what you did for us. Neither can the Zora king; he _

_arrived just as I was leaving here. _

_You must go speak to Izal. He is alone, so you will not have_

_to worry about Izra; I know she can be formidable. Please,_

_just go speak to him._

_That said, have a nice evening._

_Kelvin_

Link chewed his lip, staring at the letter. Finally deciding on a course of action, he crumbled the paper up, and keeping it with him should he change his mind, he set off for Izal's room in the ambassador's house. Finding the house empty, he walked over to the room where his father was. Knocking on the door, he heard a muted "Come in".

Izal was sorting papers that his sister had left for him when he heard the knock. He dropped his short stack in surprise at the noise and had dropped down the pick them up when he said "come in".

"We need to talk," the visitor said softly. Shocked, Izal looked up, hitting his head on the desk.

"Are you okay?" Link asked worriedly, looking over the desk.

"I'm fine, thank you," Izal muttered as he stood, rubbing his head. He looked at his son, who had retreated from the desk.

"And yes, we need to talk."

OoOoOoO

A/N: Sorry this one was such crap at the beginning, but I needed time to pass. And sorry that it's shorter, but Izal and Link's talk is going to take a while, at least, it should. So yeah…

Justin Time: Yes, Link is much fun when he flips. He had a good excuse though.

Allyanna: Sorry, but you'll have to wait until next chapter for their conversation.

Tizami-Ki: Thank you very much! Hehe, it would be fun to see this as a movie.

The Fiercesomest Dragon Ever: Thank you very much!

Corran Nackatori: Hehe, I have a very astute reader here. And yes, it is very amusing to play with time.


	12. Chapter 11 Confrontations

A/N: Sorry that this took so long, but Word decided it hated me halfway through the chapter... and yeah... Sorry!

I don't own anything to do with Zelda.Please review. Please please. I'll get the next chapter out sooner if everyone, or almost everyone, reviews.

l:l:l:l:l

"We need to talk."

_Why am I the bearer of the Triforce of Courage?_ Link thought bleakly as he sat down. _Why me? I'm not courageous, or I wouldn't be this scared to talk to him. I wouldn't have waited so long to confront him, nor would I have needed to be prodded and pushed into it._

"What's wrong?" Izal asked, breaking into Link's thoughts. Startled, Link looked up at his father. Izal had come to the other side of the desk, and was now perched on it.

"Oh… nothing, why?"

"You looked, well, you look like you had just swallowed something that you rather you hadn't."

"Well, it's not like this was on the top of list to do today," Link muttered. Realizing what he had just said, his eyes widened and he began to stammer, apologizing. He need not have worried about it though, as Izal was laughing.

"No, I can see why you'd rather not come here," he said once he had calmed down. "Still, you came, and I… I'd like to think that means something." Link nodded and was silent once more.

"So… what did you want to talk about?" Izal asked after a few moments of silent, in which both stared at the floor. Link shrugged.

"I don't know… I'm really really bad at this. Can… Can you start, maybe?"

Izal smiled, "Sure. Let's start with how old you are." Link winced, he had to start with a complicated subject, did he not?

"What?"

"Nothing… it's just, well, my age is complicated. I grew up in the Kokiri Forest, and the people that live there are children, forever. So for about three hundred years or so I was about seven or eight. Now, I'm seventeen. Well, that's what I tell everyone, because until just recently, I wasn't sure how old I was."

"So we'll go with seventeen then," Izal said, "It's easier, and then I don't have to think about my son being older than me."

Link smiled weakly, "That'll work."

"So tell me about this forest, what is it like?" Link smiled, that would be easier to talk about.

"It's absolutely massive," he began, "And is protected by a Great Tree known as the Deku Tree. He made the Kokiri, the children that live in the forest, and is a father to them. He gives the faeries a home, and in return, they pair up with every Kokiri. Only, I never had a faery. For the longest time, I did not know why. I was teased about it, but I still had friends. My best friend is named Saria, and she and I explored the forest whenever we could. It's a place of beauty, with faeries everywhere, and you can see the magic of the forest all the time. When the sun shines through the trees at sunrise and sunset, it's the most beautiful place ever, and it is always summer there.

"Mido was the worst of the bunch, but he wasn't that bad, now, looking back. The worst part was that everyone would go along with him. Because of him, though, Saria and I would often play in the Lost Woods. It's really easy to loose your way in the fog and trees, hence the name. But Saria knew it by heart because she was great friends with the forest spirits, and over the years, she taught the paths to me. We had lots of fun there.

"However, the forest was attacked by an evil man. The Deku Tree was put under a curse, all for the Kokiri Emerald, one of the keys to the Sacred Realm. The Deku Tree sent a faery for me, and with her help, I managed to break the curse. Then, I was told to venture out of the forest and to the castle of the Hylians, where what was happening would be explained to me." Link paused, not sure where to go next.

"This man, who cursed the Deku Tree, is he in any way related to the Skull King?" Izal asked, sobered.

"Yes, unfortunately. His name was Ganondorf, and he harboured the spirit of Ganon, the Great King of Evil, who is the same Evil King that the undead boast of serving."

"I see," Izal frowned, and then shook his head, "But we'll dwell on that later." Link nodded, and then began to ask questions of his own. Izal answered them all readily enough, and Link relaxed enough to ask about the one person he had always wanted to meet.

"What was she like?" he asked softly, wanting to hear about his mother.

Izal smiled sadly, "Like sunlight turned human. Her warmth spread everywhere, even in the cold underground of the Temple. She was similar to her brothers in some ways, but in others, she was radically and fundamentally different. She was very kind and just, much like Kelvin, but when she wanted something done, she would not divert from her path and could be the biggest nuisance until it was done. She resembled Aegri in that aspect, though she was always right in her decisions that she stuck with in this matter, unlike him. She could be stubborn, but she was kind and just. As someone told me once, Xyli is Xyli. You can't define her, and you can't explain her. She just is.

"You look a lot like her. She too had honey coloured hair, a deviation from the usual hair colour of the royal family. When I first saw you, you were glaring at Aegri. Whether this is real or just my imagination, you had the same glare then. What I said then is true, you do look a lot like her. And from what I've heard, you act a lot like her." Izal cocked his head to the side, and gave Link a critical look.

"You act a lot like me too it seems. I'm guessing Kelvin or Izra found out?" he suddenly asked. Link nodded sheepishly.

"Kelvin did. Sh- mom, she came in and was yelling at me. Just as she was about to leave, Kelvin came in, and well, put two and two together." Izal chuckled.

"Sorry, but better you than me. I would've _really_ been yelled at."

"Yeah… well, you didn't have to deal with Kelvin _and_ Aedan. Those two are brutal together," Link muttered, causing Izal to laugh again.

"I'm sorry it took me this long…" Link muttered sheepishly.

"Don't be," Izal said softly. "It's as much my fault as it is yours."

"You were sick in bed though," Link protested.

"I could have sent Izra or someone else to get you though."

Link winced, "Actually, I'm glad you didn't. Frankly, I don't want to be confronted by Izra on something like this."

Izal laughed understandably, and Link grinned.

"Was she always this bad?" he asked, curious.

"Oh yes," Izal answered with a grin, "She's a little sister, how can she not be? We're only seperated by a candle mark, so she was always trying to prove that she was better than me, that she should have been the eldest. Thank the goddesses she grew out of that. But yes, she is more of a doer than a thinker. If something needs to be done, she will go and do it, not think on it for days."

"Or weeks..." Link muttered.

"Yes, or weeks. But enough of that. I think we've both beaten ourselves up on the matter enough. Do you have a horse?" Now it was Link's turn to laugh. Horses were just as important to the Sheikah as they were to the Gerudo, but they were important more for spirtitual reasons instead of practical ones.

"Yes, I do. She's a twelve year old mare, though with enough spunk and attitude to be a stallion. Her name is Epona."

Izal raised an eyebrow, "So she's named after the Horse Daughter then." Link nodded. The Horse Daughter, or _Jaz'uin a_, was a character in Sheikah mythology. It was said that just after the goddesses left Hyrule, there was a Sheikah maiden named Epona. The Sheikah had hit hard times when Epona was alive; they were constantly being attacked by monstors that were both massive and quick. After her fiance had been killed by one of the monstors, Epona had gone to the shrine of the goddess Farore and begged for help. She offered to give anything that the goddess wanted, if only she would help the Sheikah. Farore appeared before the girl and spoke to her.

**_I admire your courage, young one. You have just offered me your life, when you still have much to live. I will help the Sheikah, and you will bring my gift to them. However, as your price, you shall become one with my gift once you have taught your people how to use it. Now go, and outside it shall be waiting._**

The goddess had disappeared, and Epona went out to find a huge herd of horses, some of which were pregnant. A glorious stallion walked up to her, and placing his black head on her shoulder, told her how to care for his people and how they were to help. He then allowed her to mount him, and leading the herd, brought the much needed help back to the Sheikah. After everyone understood how to care for the glorious animals, Epona disappeared. Weeks later, a young boy, watching as the first mare gave birth, swore he saw a flaming chestnut mare with flaxen mane and tail watching the herd. When she saw him, she reared and ran away, whinnying.

"I didn't name her," Link said, "But she is a lot like the Horse Daughter. She looks exactly like what the tales say the Horse Daughter looks like. Only, she's more, err, bloodthirsty than the tales."

"Bloodthirsty?" Izal asked, shocked.

"She likes to bite people she doesn't like, and when she bites, she often takes away chunks. And she finds it fun to, umm, help out when I'm fighting on her back."

"Oh. I see."

"Yeah..." Link stared down at the ground, realizing again how different Epona was. _Oh well, she's a great friend,_ he thought.

"So what's your horse like?" he asked Izal.

"A horse," Izal said with a grin, "He's a stallion and is better behaved than your mare from the sounds of it." Link chuckled weakly, shrugging his shoulders.

"You can't ask for a better friend than Epona though," he said, defending his friend.

"I'm sure," Izal said softly. A person's horse was sacred to that person in Sheikah tradition; one did not go around insulting another's horse for any reason.

"You won't believe what she did one time," Link said, smiling at the memory.

"What?" Link grinned as he began to tell of the time Epona found her way into Mido's house and proceded to eat everything in it. Laughing, Izal began to tell one of his horse stories.

The atmosphere outside the building was not so jovial though. Standing in the shadows, a pale man glared at the building and its two occupants. Snarling, he beckoned the grinning bubbles forward.

"Kill them," he ordered, and the bubbles began to bounce enthusiastically, bringing forth their protective flames. They then rushed headlong towards the wooden building, causing it to explode into flame, trapping the two inside. Smiling, the Skull King crossed his arms, an expression of malicious triumph on his face. The annoying boy would either die with his aggravating father or come out to be killed.

Link looked around in surprise as the scent of smoke rose into the room. The dangerous smoke soon rolled in after the scent.

_Where did this come from?_ he wondered, looking for a way out. Coughing and wheezing soon distracted him from his search though, and he looked over to see Izal leaning on the desk, gasping for air. His weak lung, unable to function fully even with clean air, was beginning to tighten up, leaving the Sheikah dizzy and short of breath. Cursing, Link opened the door, praying that the fire had not made it up to this floor. However, through the haze that the smoke created, Link could dimly see the fire inching forward.

_Arrows… arrows. I need arrows and a bow,_ he thought frantically as he shut the door and looked around the room. The room was devoid of the missile weapon though, and Link's heart sunk. He would not be able to fire ice arrows to stop the hungry flames.

_But all that happens is I say the command and the ice comes…_ he thought, and stared at his hands. The chance was slim, but he would take it before he let Izal and himself burn alive. Opening the door again, he extended his right hand and spoke the command for ice in a forceful voice. A moment's silence, and then the whirring sound of ice magic came as it gathered around his hand before it shot across the hallway, stopping the flames and quelling some of the smoke. Link winced, holding his frigid hand.

_Good thing I didn't use my left hand, or I'd be screwed if I needed to fight,_ he thought as he turned to get his father, who was now using all of his strength just to stay upright.

"Go," Izal croaked when he saw Link come towards him, "Go. Leave… leave me cough here…"

"Not a chance," Link growled and threw Izal's arm across his shoulder, supporting his weight. His right hand still free, Link was able to stop the flames on their slow and arduous trek to the entrance of the building.

Izra bit her lip in frustration as she stared at the burning building. They had tried to set up a bucket line, but the heat was too great. The Zora had then tired their water magic, but they too were soon driven back by the immense heat.

A large figure emerged from the flames and was followed by another.

"Too smokey, goro. Can't see, can't breathe," the Goron panted. Izra closed her eyes in despair. If the Gorons, home in the depths of a volcano, could not breathe in there, how could her brother, with his injured lung? She half hoped that Azaman was in there, as he was supposed to have gone to talk to Izal, and she half hoped that he was not. While her brother's life was important, Azaman had longer to live, and, as it was becoming more and more clear, he would be very important in the upcoming events.

"Despair, followers of light, for your hero is about to die," a voice commanded. They looked towards the shadows to see a tall, pale Hylian male standing there, surrounded by undead. Izra spat on the ground, showing her distaste for the man who now had given her a face to put to the title of "Skull King". He laughed.

"Spit all you want, dear Sheikah, but your brother is about to die. And that annoying brat with him. No one can survive being in that smokey building this long, even if they did avoid the flames." Izra glared up at the man, hating him with a passion that made her normally schooled face light up in fury.

"Such anger, my dear," the Skull King laughed, "But misplaced. Blame Aegri, if you must. Had he not forced his sister to marry that damn brother of yours, I would not have had to worry about their brat. And had Aegri done his job right in killing that nosy dog of a Sheikah, I wouldn't have to make you watch this horrible spectacle."

"Brat? You killed my nephew when you killed Xyli!" Izra shouted, no longer able to contain her anger. The Skull King scowled, as that failure came back.

"No, the bitch managed to get away, and her son survived. He was taken to that damn forest. The forest of children. And he lived, for years, until he left the protection of that tree, and managed, somehow, to defeat my master, my glorious master. And then…" the Skull King took a deep breath, calming himself.

"And then he came back here. _Azaman._ 'A time in the past' if you go by the High Tongue translation. It fits with his true name, even though it is pronounced wrong. _Link_ (lii-n-sk last syllable is pronounced softly), which means 'that which connects past and future', or, loosely translated, 'the present'."

"So with _Enzaman_, we have a trio then, eh? Past, present and future." Everyone stared at the burning building. There was Link and Izal, sooty and wearing scorched clothes, but alive all the same. Izra breathed a sigh of relief. They were alright; they were alive.

When Link heard the Skull King explain the meaning of his name, something clicked in his mind. _He was Enzaman._ He was the Sage of Time, the mysterious cloaked man. And why not? It was one short step from being Hero of Time to being Sage of Time, from being able to only occasionaly manipulate Time to being able to walk through it.

"So you managed to survive brat," the Skull King spat out, and three Stalfos attacked. Concentrating, Link brought up the protective barrier of Nayru's Love, and the attackers bounced off the shield. The Skull King scowled and sent out a barrage of flames. Moaning in distress, the Stalfos fled. The shield still held, and Link used the cover of flame to get Izal over to where Izra and the others stood.

"Stay back," he commanded grimly as he turned back to the Skull King, "He's mine."

"That's what you think," the Skull King laughed, "Today, you die!" Snarling, Link attacked. Flinging magic into the air, the Skull King brought out a huge, black sword. He brought it down forcibly, blocking Link's attack, and sending tremors through the young man's body. Wincing, Link ducked down, and rolled to the other side of his opponent.

"Arm a little sore?" the Skull King cackled, feeling secure in his huge broadsword.

"Not the one you think!" Link shouted as he attacked again, this time scoring a hit before he was blasted back with magic. Scowling, he stood up and extended his right hand. Instead of the ball of flames that had pushed him back, he sent out a barrage of ice, hitting his opponent and freezing him to the ground. But before Link could strike, the Skull King had freed himself using his fire to melt the ice.

"So that's how you got out," the Skull King snarled, shivering. Link smirked, and, enraged, the necromancer kunged forward.

"DIE!" he shouted, attacking not only with his black sword, but also with the dark magic within it. Batting back the dark magic with the Master sword, Link managed to block the physical attack only barely. Leaping back, he brought his hand up again.

"Your ice won't work boy, and neither will your fire," the Skull King taunted. Link scowled and spoke a command that left him without a voice. It was a magic command that he did not know, it had just suddenly come to him. It was the command for Divine Light, one that only the Sage of Light could use. From the heavans came a light both beautiful and terrifying, and as it streaked towards the stupefied Skull King, it blinded the onlookers.

Sagging to the ground, Link stared at the body of the now dead necromancer. His eyes opened in disbelief as it began to sink into the ground. Gasping, he tried to utter the command for fire, but his voice had left him. He could not even concentrate on the command, and so had to watch helplessly as the necromancer became undead himself.

A hand was placed on his shoulder, and he looked up in surprise. It was Impa.

"Now we know who sent us back," she said softly. Link nodded silently.

"Come on," she said as she helped him up, "You need to get some rest. Izal will be fine, so don't worry." Mutely nodding again, Link stumbled along, so drained of energy that he did not even think of protesting.

Zelda looked at the Sage of Time.

"Did it get to Link?" she asked softly, speaking of the command for Divine Light. Smiling sadly, the Sage nodded.

"Yes, it did. And now I must leave, as the me in this time has woken. My last advice to you, princess, is to prepare your troops. The undead are coming." Zelda nodded, and the Sage turned to leave. Suddenly, he stopped and turned towards the princess.

"And do not, I repeat, **do not** allow your blood to be taken by anyone. Do you understand?" Confused, Zelda nodded. This time, when he turned to leave, the Sage was gone. Still confused over his last words, Zelda turned to find her father. He now knew that she was the Sage of Light and who the other Sages were. She now had to tell him that the Sage of Time had told her that the undead were coming. Biting her lip, she wished fervently that Link and Impa would get back soon. Hyrule needed all the Sages it had and its hero. Now.

l:l:l:l:l:l:l

A/N: So there you have it! The Sage of Time in Link! So, how many people thought that he was the Sage? I know Corran Nackatori got it, but did anyone else?

Allyanna: Sorry about the wait. Did their talk make up for it?

The Fiercesomest Dragon Ever: Sorry this took so long... stupid Word... Were you able to follow the pov changes easier this time?

Tizamiki: Thank you, and you're right. I meant write instead of right, but I have no idea how to go back and fix it. Oh well.

Justin Time: Thanks! And when are you going to update?

Astryel: Yay! New reviewer! Sorry about the waiting, but I have to leave it at a cliffhanger so people will come back.


	13. Chapter 12 Attack

I don't own anything to do with Zelda.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_A cloaked man walked towards him. Pausing, the man_ _drew back his cowl, revealing a lined face with piercing blue eyes and golden hair. A few scars ran across his left side; one had caused his left eye to be permenatly closed. It was himself, only... older. Link had never thought that he would grow old; he had always pushed the thought to the back of his mind, to think on later. His older self chuckled._

_"Yes, you get to age. It's odd how it happens, bit by bit, until it suddenly jumps up on you."_

_"Life does that, no matter what," Link answered. His older self laughed again._

_"Yes, it does. But I'm not here to talk about life or growing old. You've got to learn how to use your powers now, and we have to do it in this dreamscape."_

_"But if you teach me how to use my magic, and I'm you... how-"_

_"Don't even ask. Don't think about it; it's a quirk of time. It will only confuse you and drive you crazy," the older Link cautioned. "Now, let's begin." Suddenly Link found himself learning commands and uses of magic that he had never thought possible. He learned how to throw ice without freezing his hand, and to send out fire without burning himself. And, lastly, he learned how to spot and use the hidden doors of time. He learned that they would only take him to when Time wished him to go, but that he could go where he wanted. But above all, he learned that Time was kind and would accept requests to travel her paths when it was not specifically needed._

_"Be wary when you go to another time," he was warned, "For visions of could-be's and will-be's will hover in the corner of your eye. They will drive you nuts, but there is nothing you can really do about it."_

_"Alright," Link said tensely, "But I have a question, why do I need to know this now? Couldn't you come back in time later and teach me then?"_

_"No. I can only appear to you like this, in a dreamscape, now that you've awakened as the Sage of Time. I can **not** exist in the same time as a younger Sage of Time," the older Sage sighed, seeing Link's confused expression. "Think of it like I'm the Ocarina. It can not exist in the same time as itself, neither can I."_

_"Oh." Link blinked, the dreamscape was becoming blurry; he was waking up._

_"Good luck," the older him said and disappeared._

When Link woke up, he looked around, confused after the dream.

"Weird..." he muttered, only to have it come out as an unintelligble rasp. He sat straight up, holding his throat. It was hot to the touch and felt scratchy. He wondered what had caused this, until he remembered calling the Divine Light to attack the Skull King.

_So that's why I couldn't call fire... not only was I exhausted, I had no voice._

"Good, you're awake." Link froze. It was Izra, and she was seated next to his bed. He had not even noticed her.

"Now, Link," she said sweetly, too sweetly in Link's opinion, "We need to talk." Link groaned inwardly. He pointed at his throat and then drew at cutting motion across it.

"I don't understand," she said tartly, thinking he had lost his mind. Sighing, Link tried to say that he had no voice. Only, it sounded like a mix between a gurgle and a rasp. He then started to cough; the strain on his injured throat was too much.

Cool water was poured down his throat, as Izra held a cup to his mouth. When he had finished the water, he looked up at his aunt, who had a look of resigned annoyance on her face.

"It figures that when I find out about this, you can not talk," she sighed, "I guess I'll just have to grill Izal. That was why you finally went to see him, correct?"

Link nodded, and Izra rose. She turned to go, but stopped when Impa entered the room.

"I want to know what is going on here," she stated, "Kelvin said to ask you, and Aedan is in a fight with one of the idiots that try to advise him." Izra nodded, agreeing with Impa.

"Understandable, I want to know too. Let me get Izal, he knows what is going on." She left to get her brother, and Impa dragged a chair over to Link's bed.

"What have you got to say on this?" She asked crossly. Link shrugged and pantomimed his lack of voice again. Sighing, Impa reached out with her mind.

_Can you hear me?_ she suddenly asked, surprising Link.

_Never do that again! _He shouted with his mind, _Warn me next time!_

"Stop shouting," she hissed, wincing. "Now you can talk with me through your mind."

_Oh. Sorry._

"Damn right," she muttered. "Now, what is going on?"

_Wait for Izal; he can explain it better than me._ Link said, earning a glare from his fellow Sage.

"I swear, you all seem to think this secrecy is amusing," she growled. Link sighed. He did not like keeping Impa out of the loop; he owed her too much for that.

_It's not that,_ he thought to her, _It's just I don't know how to say it really. It's the weirdest thing, suddenly finding out you have a family. There's really no way to explain it. That, and this whole talk with your mind thing is new and frankly, weird._

Impa sighed, relenting. Her shoulders relaxed, and her face lost its harshness. Link looked at her concerned. The current events were taking a hard toll on the Sheikah, and yet Impa refused to go slower. Link bit his lip, not knowing what to say. He was concerned for his friend, yet he knew that any attempts to talk to her about this would only be met with rebuttals. The only one who could safely talk to Impa about such things was her husband, and he had only been able to do so after an explosion that had almost taken his life.

"I'm fine," Impa said suddenly. "I know I look like a wreck, but I'm fine. I'll be better though when I'm back in my own time and can be pestered about my health by my family. So don't even talk about it." Link raised an eyebrow. How was he to talk about it? He could think about it, but not talk about it.

"Stop looking at me like that," she sighed, exasperated. "I know you can't talk."

Link smiled, and then jumped when he heard the door open. Impa gave him a look, questioning his jumpiness. He shrugged sheepishly. Izra and Izal walked over, and Izal took the seat which Izra had previously occupied. Aedan sooned followed, exasperated.

"No one knows I'm here, got it? So no saying of my name or that stupid "your majesty" grovel, understood?" He glared at all of them and received nods and wry grins in return.

"Now, what is going on?" Impa asked softly. Izra looked at Izal, who sighed.

"I guess I should start," he began softly, his voice barely above a whisper. Izra and Impa leaned in, curious, while Aedan and Link sat back, for they already knew the tale.

Zelda watched the evacuations from the castle's battlements. Sheikah children and pregnant women were filing into the castle, joined with Hylian women and children. The Gorons had moved their women and children to the very height of Death Mountain, where they were surrounded by slow moving lava. The lava, harmless to them, would be used as a protective wall between them and the malicious undead. The Zora, with the exception of their warriors and the princess, had fled to the depths of Lake Hylia, where the undead would not be able to go. That is, as long as Ganon was not revived, at which point there would be nowhere anyone could hide. The Gerudo waited outside the city; once the Hylians and Sheikah were in the castle, the Gerudo children and pregnant women would join them. The rest would join the ranks of warriors preparing the defenses of the walled city.

"It is a sad sight, no?" Zelda turned to see Nabooru standing just behind her. The Gerudo queen walked up and rested her hands on the stone wall.

"To think, all that hell we went through, and for what? To see Ganon rise again. The goddesses must be having a good laugh at this tragedy."

"Oh Nabooru, it can't be that bad, can it?" A soft voice asked. Ruto stood in the doorway, her eyes large in concern. Sighing, Nabooru shook her head.

"Forgive this pessimistic old nag," she said softly. Heavy footsteps reached their ears, and Darunia soon appeared.

"Something is up," he said shortly, and they all looked at him in confusion.

"Something is up with Rauru," he clarified. "He said he was coming to see us."

"Why?" Zelda asked. Rauru could not leave the Sacred Realm, as his body had departed from the material world long ago. The mighty Goron shrugged; he did not know.

"My time here is over," Rauru said suddenly as his spirit appeared.

"What?" Ruto exclaimed, shocked. Rauru smiled sadly.

"The Sage of Time has awakened," he said softly, "And now there are seven Sages, and I must go. But do not worry, he will be here soon." The other Sages looked at him in shock. None of them, even after finding out about the Sage of Time, had thought about Rauru leaving them. He had always been there, a father to them all, and they did not know what they would do without him.

As he began to fade, Nabooru quickly shouted out, "Who is he?"

"An old and dear friend," Rauru said simply and departed to the realm of the Goddesses to join his old friends. Zelda choked on a sob, leaning against the battlements. Rauru was gone; he would no longer be there, to comfort, to advise.

"This is bad," Darunia growled. "That damned necromancer will know that Rauru has left; he must know that we are two Sages and a hero short. He will attack soon, before Impa and Link and this unnamed Sage can get here."

"Who could it be?" Ruto asked. "A old and dear friend? But that could be anyone!"

"No," Nabooru said thoughtfully, "It would have to be an old and dear friend to us all. Rauru did not specify whose friend he was, so he must be known by all of us." Zelda looked up and was about to comment when a commotion below caught her attention.

Shouts rose up from the horse stables, and a loud whinny accompanied them. When she peered down, she saw a group of stable hands trying to lead Epona to where the livestock and unclaimed horses were being kept: a protective stable under the castle. The mare had another idea though and was not cooperating.

"Leave her alone!" Zelda shouted down. The stable hands looked up, confused. They could not make out her words through the wind.

"Shoot," she muttered, and began to run down the stairs. She need not to have worried though, for when she got down, the situation was resolved. A tall Sheikah had explained matters to the Hylians, and Epona was nuzzling him, looking for sugar. Zelda smiled when she saw him.

"It's good to see you again, Dir'ath." The tall man turned and smiled back. Stepping forward, he leaned down a bit to see the princess.

"You've grown quite a bit since last time, little princess," he said kindly. "Impa's tales of you don't quite do you justice." Zelda blushed, both flattered and embarrased.

"Well, that depends on what she's been telling you." Dir'ath laughed, a sound that did not come out of a Sheikah in public too often. Zelda grinned; of all the Sheikah, not including Impa, he was her favourite. Despite the accident that nearly took his life thirteen years ago, he had kept his easy going matter. Which was good, for in her opinion, for Impa could be too uptight and needed a husband who would help her unwind.

"Well, shall we take this little lady back to the stables?" he asked. Zelda nodded and fell into step as he started walking. Despite his bad leg, Zelda still had to increase her pace to keep up. The dignified court walk was too slow for any Sheikah, even one whose leg had been scarred and damaged by a mine explosion. Epona followed readily enough, though she refused to go into the stables when they arrived. Instead, she gracefully jumped into the nearest pasture, joining a coal black stallion. Dir'ath chuckled at her choice.

"Taliesin will be a good, calming compainion for her," he explained to the princess, "An explosion could go off beside him, and he wouldn't flinch. That and we tend to use him as a babysitter when the young ones are around the stables." Zelda grinned at the image of this fine young stallion, herding small children and keeping a watchful eye on them. Dir'ath smiled back and turned, beckoning the princess to follow him.

"Any news?" he asked quietly as they made their way back to the castle. Zelda shook her head, staring at the ground.

"I see," he sighed. "I suppose I shouldn't have-"

"Rauru. . . Rauru's gone," Zelda cut in. Dir'ath jerked his head around to look at her.

"Oh little one," he whisphered, resting his hand on her shoulder. "Why?"

"The Sage of Time, he's awakened, so there are seven Sages now," she said tonelessly, "And so, Rauru, he. . ."

"He moved on?" Dir'ath finished for her. Zelda nodded.

"He said that the Sage of Time would be here soon, and that he was an old and dear friend." She looked up at the Sheikah. "Do you have any ideas as to who he is?"

Dir'ath was silent for a few minutes as he thought on it. "No, I can not think of anyone, well, besides the Hero of Time that is. Maybe someone related to him? I do not think that Link would be both Sage and Hero." Zelda paused, thinking over his words, then looked up at him in surprise. How did he know that Link was the Hero of Time?

"Impa told me, not long after she regained her memories," Dir'ath explained with a smile. "She was acting very odd, and I wouldn't stop pestering her about it, so she told me." Zelda nodded. A shadow passed over her, and she broke out of her musings to look up at the sky.

"This is not good," she breathed. Three in the afternoon, and dark clouds were beginning to cover up the protective sun. Apologizing to Dir'ath, she broke into a run, heading to where the evacuees where entering the castle.

"Princess?" one of the guards asked, confused.

"Get the evacuees in faster," she panted. "Don't panic anyone, but move them faster. We need to get everyone in before the sun is covered by the clouds."

When the sun was finally hidden by the sorcerous clouds, the undead rose. Hissing and screeching, they stood on the outermost banks of the castle moat, cursing the castle's inhabitants. They could not rise in the castle grounds; the ground had been purified by the priests from all the tribes.

"Fill it up," a harsh, raspy voice ordered. Howling in joy, the undead spread out, and slowly began to fill in the moat. Senetries on the battlements watched and runners relayed the positions and the advances of the undead to the generals and leaders of the tribes. On the command of the head general, the archers let out a series of volleys of fire arrows. Some hit their mark, sending the undead hollowing into the earth. Others missed, and more hit a protective, invisible sheild set up by the Skull King. The general smiled. One less thing was unknown to the defenders.

The undead retreated, late the next morning, when the sun finally broke through the dark clouds. It was almost 11 o'clock. A select crew of workmen and soldiers ventured out of the gates to try and clear out the moat. They were immediatly attacked by Bubbles, and would have all been killed if Nabooru had not lead a small group of her fighters out to rescue the remainder of the group. No other attempts were made to sneak out.

The Sages held conference with the Hylian and Zoran kings, trying to figure out what to do, when Saria appeared.

"I can't stay long," she said, holding up a hand to stop questions. "The Skull King has sent a contingent of Bubbles to the forest; he plans to burn it. The Deku Tree wants me to tell you that he will protect the underside of the castle. His roots form the foundation, and the undead will not be able to force their way in by undermining the walls." A sigh of relief echoed through the room; that was one less thing to prepare for.

"Thank him for us Saria," Zelda said, "Is there anything we can do?"

"Stay alive," was Saria's only answer, "Stay alive until Link, Impa, and this seventh Sage get here." The forest girl then disappeared, leaving the others to return to planning out the city's defense. The priests were sent out again to purify the ground in the city. No one knew how well the purification would hold up over time, and no one wanted to take chances.

That afternoon, the clouds returned, and the undead began their work again. This time they were able to fill in enough of the moat to cross the it. Archers rained arrows down on them and Darunia sent down blasts of fire, but it did not make much of a difference. The undead grouped together, attacking one part of the walls, protected by their master's protective sheild. Those that were hit were soon replaced by others standing farther back, out of range of the defenders.

"He must be getting magical aide from Ganon," Ruto growled as she watched the arrows bounce off the shield. "There's no other explanation for it. No necromancer is this powerful."

"Yes," Nabooru agreed, her arms crossed, "The question is though, can we hold out?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: I'm really really sorry this took so long to get out, I really am. School and Word have conspired against me.

A note on the horse names; they're all Celtic deities. Epona is the goddess of horses and fertitliy, Lugh the god of skills, and Taliesin the god of bards.

The Fiercesomest Dragon Ever: Yes, Zelda has to watch out now. Hehe

Justin Time: It's okay, you managed to update before me!

Allyanna: Don't worry, Izal isn't going to just disappear. I like him too much to do that.

Tizami-Ki: Glad to hear you like my attempt at mythology!

Astryel: Thanks


	14. Chapter 13 Goodbye

I don't own anything to do with Zelda.

A week had passed since Nabooru's gloomy question. The castle's defenders had managed to hold out, though their chances of surviving another week were slim. The castle walls had been breached, and the defenders had only a few scant hours of daylight to strengthen their defenses against the ever growing horde outside. The most populous of the undead were the detested Bubbles, the only undead that could attack during the day and use fire. Cackling, they attacked any defender who dared to leave the security of the castle, no matter how suicidal their attack might be.

Morale was low, for there seemed to be no stopping the ravenous attackers. No matter how many were taken down, more replaced them. The castle's defenders had no such luck; no one magically appeared to fill in the ranks, no one broke through the lines of undead to miraculously aid the overwhelmed Hylians and their allies. In essence, they were sunk.

They needed their hero, desperately.

--

Link rapped his fingers in a quick pattern; he was nervous. He wanted to know what was happening in the present day, and yet he did not. This mixed feeling made him feel guilty at times, though he could not help it. Lately though, the guilt had been replaced by nervousness. What was happening? Was Zelda ok? Where did Epona run off to?

The door opened, and a head poked in.

"Impa said she got a message from the Sage of Light." Link jumped up and rushed past a surprised Aedan, who turned, quickly, to follow him.

"Wait up," he hissed. Link stopped and looked at him.

"Sure," he said finally. Aedan rolled his eyes. The two continued on their way.

"Thanks," he said dryly. Link smirked.

"So how did you get to be her messenger boy?" he teased. Aedan glared at him.

"Shut it. It allowed me to avoid those stupid advisors." Link chuckled.

"Better you than me," was all he said.

"What?" Impa asked suddenly, opening the door just as Link reached for it.

"Ummm…" Link paused, and Aedan shrugged. Impa sighed, exasperated at the two, and ushered them in. Kelvin, Izra and Izal were there, waiting for them.

"Rauru contacted me just now," she began. "He was just contacted by the Sage of Time," everyone gave a wry grin at that, "and he is going to meet us where he gave you the horse at tomorrow and take us back to our time." Impa paused, frowning when a thought came to her.

"Well, back to the time we came from," she amended. Link looked down at his feet; Izal had the same look.

_We're leaving,_ he thought desperately,_ We're leaving. What will happen? Will I see them again?_ A thousand thoughts ran through Link's head, all despairing at the turn of events. Despite his desire to return to modern Hyrule, he suddenly did not want to leave his new found home, his family.

_We have to go Link,_ A voice said in his mind. He looked up to see Impa staring at him. _Time is already strained; we cannot stay much longer._

He nodded; this he knew. The reality of it was one he did not want to face, though he knew he had to.

_The joys of being a hero and a Sage,_ he through wryly. Sighing, he stood and walked over to the window.

"It won't take long to get there," he said softly. "We can leave early tomorrow morning and be there in time to catch the door."

"The what?" Impa asked, confused. Everyone else nodded, equally confused. Link looked at them, suddenly remembering that only he, as Sage of Time, knew about the doors.

"Right… Well, the doors are doors that open from one point in the time stream to another; it's how the older me got here when he's actually in the far, far future," he said as a means of explanation.

"And one of these will take us back?" Impa asked skeptically.

Link nodded, "Yeah. It will open for me. We have to get there sometime before noon tomorrow; otherwise the door will be gone. See, the doors are only there for a limited amount of time; otherwise there would be doors everywhere, and it would be far too confusing."

"Of course," Izra remarked dryly.

Link ignored her, and continued. "Time makes the doors; I have no control over them or where they lead. All I can do is open them and travel their paths."

"So, will you ever be able to come back?" Aedan asked, speaking up for the first time. Izal looked up at Link, hoping. Link sighed, leaning against the wall and looking down at his boots. How was he to answer that? He wanted nothing more than to lie and say, yes, yes I will be back. But he could not. He could not force himself to give them, and himself, that false hope.

"I don't know," he said slowly, "Time controls the doors, and unless she decides that I need to come here, there won't be a door. But," he said quickly as everyone looked at the floor in disappointment, "But, I may be able to get her to make one to come here. I don't know."

"It's all we can ask," Izal said softly, a sad smile on his face. Link nodded softly, wanting nothing more than to replace that sad smile with something happier. He had begun to realize the impact a parent's emotions and feelings had on their child; he now knew why Zelda was so worried about what her father thought; he now knew why Impa was able to guilt trip her otherwise independent children so easily. He had learned what it was like to have a parent, and he was not about to take it for granted, nor was he willing to forget the feeling. Link soon left to get ready, and Kelvin followed him.

"Do you remember that talk we had, weeks ago," he began, "When you talked of two women and a psychopath?" Link winced; he remembered all too well.

"Yeah, though only one of my problems seems to have worked itself out. Though…" he paused, thinking suddenly of where his thoughts had been drifting.

"Though?" Kelvin prodded.

"Though I think another may have begun to unravel."

"The two women?"

"I think so."

"I'm glad to hear it," Kelvin said with a smile, "It will be one less thing to think about tomorrow." With that, he nodded good bye and walked in another direction, leaving Link to his thoughts. While confused as to why his uncle had suddenly brought up the subject, he knew that Kelvin was right; he did not need to be thinking about anything other than fighting Ganon tomorrow. Still, he paused as he thought on the matter for what he hoped would be the last time that night. Was Romani more than just a childhood crush? And had Zelda changed much from who he had once known?

The next day, at dawn, goodbyes were said. As Lugh and Arin stood by, ready to go, their riders said farewell to their new found friends and family. Hugs were exchanged, and tears crept out of eyes, only to be brushed away. Half smiles were everywhere, sad ones that did not quite reach the eyes.

"May we at least learn your name, Sage?" Izal asked softly after clasping hands in the traditional Sheikah gesture of farewell with Impa. She nodded; she trusted them to keep it secret.

"Impa," she told him, "Impa 'a Jaz'win." Izra came forward, clasping hands with the Sage. Tears were in the Sheikah's eyes, though not only from the fact that her new friend was leaving. Her daughter, and Izal's heir, now bore the name 'a Jaz'win.

"Then go and be well, Impa 'a Jaz'win. May the goddesses be with you."

"Stay well," Impa said in return, "Stay well, Izra 'a Kii'han." Izra then turned to her nephew, who had just finished saying good bye to Kelvin and Aedan.

"Go and be well, Link 'al Kii'han," she said, clasping his hand, "Return if that is what is in store for you." Link nodded, his throat too choked to reply. He had been called by his family name, the name that once was terrifying and was now an honour to bear. Izra understood though, and she smiled kindly at him before moving to the side.

"Be well, my son," Izal whispered as he embraced Link.

"Be well, my father," Link replied, returning the embrace. Tears came to his eyes; he did not want to leave. The only time he had felt this way was when Zelda had asked him to hand over the Ocarina of Time, at the end of those other years. He had always been willing to move on, to explore new areas. But now, he felt differently. Something within him urged him to take his family with him and Impa through the door, to present day Hyrule. But he knew that he could not. He could not take them to the future, to the new culture and his old life. Aedan needed to stay; he was to become the Great King in the Hylian histories, and Link would not deprive him of his family. No, they had to stay while he had to leave.

_I will return_, he thought fiercely as he let go of his father, _I will find a way to return._

Then it was over. The goodbyes had been said, and there was nothing more to be done except mount the horses and leave. Waving goodbye one last time, they then turned the horses and were soon galloping away. Link was glad for the speed; the wind would have caused tears to come to his eyes even if they had not been there before.

---

"We have less than half an hour before the sun is obscured," the exhausted general reported to the Hylian King and the Sages. "There's no way to repair the barricade sufficiently in that amount of time. I've told everyone to hunker down and be ready for the undead to come over. There is nothing else we can do." The Sages looked at each other in despair. Where was Link and Impa? What about the Sage of Time?

"Very well," Darunia said, his craggy face one of resignation. "Go back to your soldiers; we will be out there soon." Nodding, the general left.

"This is bad," Ruto hissed as soon as the door shut behind the general. "Where is Link? What about Impa and that damned Sage of Time?"

**_Damned? I'm so sad to hear you think of me that way Ruto, _**a voice echoed in their minds, including the king's.

"It's the Sage of Time," Zelda explained to her father, who looked a bit shell shocked at hearing someone talk in his head. The elderly man nodded, and managed to calm himself somewhat.

"Well, maybe if you got yourself here a little sooner we wouldn't be referring to you in such a matter," Nabooru growled. A chuckle echoed in their minds, not improving the moods of Nabooru or Ruto.

**_Understandable. However, the door that would allow me to come back to this time did not open until today. And I have to get there, and then get the Master Sword. I'll be at the battle, don't worry._ **This did not reassure them very much, though some of his words made Zelda think harder on the matter of his identity. The fact that he had to return to this time made her pause, and her talk with Dir'ath the previous week returned to her mind.

_"No, I can not think of anyone, well, besides the Hero of Time that is. Maybe someone related to him? I do not think that Link would be both Sage and Hero."_

"Enzaman!" She called out suddenly, before the presence left. "Enzaman, are you Link?" A chuckle was all that greeted her question, and the Sage left. Her companions looked at her in askance, until Darunia spoke up.

"It makes sense," he said slowly. "It is much more efficient for the Hero of Time to also be the Sage; then there are not two people who have command of Time."

"But why did he not awaken when we did?" Ruto demanded. Darunia shrugged.

"Because he did not need to," Nabooru hazarded. "We had seven Sages, for Ruto was still around. Also, the Sages were the ones who sealed Ganondorf, but only after Link had defeated him. We needed a hero, one who could fight."

"It's all moot now though," Ruto said sadly, "Neither of them is here, so we can't be sure. And," she looked out of the room's sole window, "And, daytime is almost over. We need to get outside and help the fighters."

"Let's go then," Nabooru stated as she stood, "Nothing will come to be by us sitting here discussing matters. Let us go and fight and we will trust in that damned Sage's words. It's all we can do." The rest of the Sages and the king stood as well.

"Let us go then," the king said, opening the door. The five of them left, going to either death or victory. Which, they did not know. But they still went.

When night fell, disaster fell too. The undead came in greater swarms than ever before, as if sensing the weakness of the defenders. While the presence of the king and the Sages bolstered the morale, it was still not enough.

The Hylian king was where the majority of the Hylian knights were. Dir'ath stood slightly behind and to the side of the king, while his daughter, Jaeh, stood on the other side. Johen, his son and Impa's heir, was with the main contingent of Sheikah, leading them until his mother returned. While his daughter fought with the short weord favoured by the Sheikah, Dir'ath fought with a longer ranged weapon. He had, over the years since his accident, managed to perfect the art of the _sh'jise_, the tiny, boomerang shaped weapons that some Sheikah used. They served the same purpose as the throwing stars, but these returned to the thrower, which was perfect for a fighter who, like Dir'ath, could not fight with a sword due to injuries.

His bad leg though, had been a source of contention just a few moments before they took their places besides the king. Jaeh had tried everyway she knew to keep her father in the castle, with the select group of fighters who were under orders to get the women and children to safety should the undead begin to win. She even tried to threaten him with the specter of her mother, who would be furious to know that he had joined the fight. Not to mention her mother would be furious with _her_ if anything happened to Dir'ath. It did not work. Her father had just smiled, chuckled, and took his place on the king's left side. Jaeh could do nothing but sigh and glare at him. Her brother was already out, busy with getting the Sheikah and those fighting in their ranks into position. Her father was her headache. Once the undead had reached them though, the headache quickly disappeared. She forgot about her father, she forgot about her own safety as she protected the king.

"When the battle comes, we have only one purpose," her mother had told her, "And that is to protect those we swore to protect, even if it means giving our lives."

She had sworn to protect the king, as had her father, and that is what they would do.

-----

A/N: Everybody cheer, Word likes me again:D

Anywho, sorry about the length, but this was the best ending point I could think of.

Note on Sheikah last names: To denote that the person is male, you have an 'al before the last name. For females, you have an 'a before the last name. The general trend is for a woman to take her husband's name, but men will take their wife's name sometimes (like Dir'ath and Impa).

Justin Time: It was amusing to think of Link without a voice. Hehe.

The Fiercesomest Dragon Ever: Hope your computer is being nice now, and thanks.

Oni-Kaiser: Thank you!

Tizamiki: Thanks a bunch. Hopefully I'll be able to update quicker now.

Parselmaster: Thanks a bunch!


	15. Chapter 14 Returning home

I don't own anything to do with Zelda.

-----

"What do you mean the door isn't there!" Link looked at the irate Impa and sighed.

"We beat it. We've got another hour to three hours until it appears, I think."

"You _think_?"

"I just figured out how to do this a week or so ago. Give me a break," Link snarled back at Impa. The two of them glared at each other, silent, until Lugh whipped his tail, hitting both of them squarely in the back.

"Damn horse," Impa muttered, glaring at him. "He's too much like Epona."  
"Yeah," Link agreed, glaring at the innocent looking horse. "You think they're related?"

"It'd make sense." The two of the watched Lugh, who was now acting like a normal horse, and he appeared to have no intention of doing anything else. After a little bit, Link sighed and sat down. He was not going to stand for an hour or three.

"Hey Impa," he hazarded, "What is Zelda like now?" Impa turned to look at him. She walked over and too sat down, beneath the tree. Leaning back on its trunk, she looked up into its wide spreading branches.

"Very similar, I think, to the Zelda you knew. She gained her memories back when she was fourteen, if memory serves me correctly. But she is more tactful and not as cautious when it comes to non political things. She has had a court upbringing, not one of a Sheikah.

"She looks the same and likes many of the same things. She drives her father crazy with all of her requests to go out of the town. He worries too much, but she goes out on unapproved trips too much. She's a good girl." Link nodded, looking down at the grass between his feet. It was dark green and moist, an oasis of life with the tree in the barren wasteland the plains had become. From this little outpost of life, grass would spread and grow until it became the tall, sharp grass that he knew.

A whirring sound caught his attention. He stood up, looking around. Impa looked at him, confused, until she too could hear the noise. Link grinned.

"The door is here!" he told her jubilantly. "That's what the noise is, the door!" Impa shook her head, amused. One to three hours? Maybe thirty minutes.

When the door solidified, Link reached to what appeared to be thin air and opened it. Then, he grabbed Impa's hand and pulled her through, closing the door behind him.

Impa blinked; they were now standing in the Chamber of Sages. Link smiled.

"I liked this trip more," he said jokingly. Impa nodded.

"Come, we need to get out of here." Link nodded, looking around.

"I wonder… I wonder where Rauru is?" he said absent mindedly.

**_He moved on._** Link jumped, hearing his older self speak.

**_The others will tell you about it later, now you must hurry. Get the Master Sword and get outside! The undead have almost made it through the defenders._**

Pale, Impa began to stride towards the exit, Link not far behind her. The Door of Time stood closed, but once Link pulled the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time, the Door opened. Sounds of the battlefield could be heard; swords clanging on bone and metal; commanders yelling out orders; the hisses of the undead and the screams of the dying.

"I'll take care of the Skull King," Impa said briskly as they ran to the Temple of Time's entrance, "You find the princess and whatever form Ganon has taken." Link nodded, and the two burst out of the Temple, running to help fight the horde of undead.

---

Shoving the princess behind her, Allya fought Atro as well as she could. The witch was strong, despite her frail appearance, and used magic instead of weapons for the most part. Atro had made a bee line for Zelda once she saw her, and the princess had been caught off guard. While she had managed to get a shield up in time, she had been pushed back into a precarious position. Allya made it there in time, much to the witch's disgust.

"_Sha'oka!_" Zelda shouted, and Allya ducked. A blast of light shot from the princess, hitting the witch square in the chest. Atro flew back, landing on a piece of rubble. Just as she was about to get up, a loud whinny pierced the air and two large hooves came crashing down on the witch's body.

Epona snorted, shook her head at the two, and ran to the right, where she began to wreck havoc on the undead there. Zelda smiled weakly at the mare's actions; thankful, for once, of her bloodier nature. Epona had escaped from the pen where the war horses were being kept not long after the fighting began, eager to join in the fray.

"Nabooru wants you to get back, behind the front lines," Allya said hurriedly as she pushed the princess towards the safer areas. Zelda nodded, exhausted. She had used up a good deal of her magic fighting the undead and shielding the soldiers. Nabooru's orders made sense, for she would be more protected in the back.

A shriek broke off their departure from the front lines. Standing beside her sister's crushed body was Lacsis. Snarling, she turned towards Allya and Zelda and fired two powerful magical blasts. Zelda threw up a shield, but in her tired state, it was not enough to fully block the shock wave from the attacking spell. The two were sent flying back.

Allya was the first to stand up, albeit a little shaky. Taking a defensive position, she prepared to deal with the onslaught from the witch. Suddenly, though, her sword was down, and her arms felt like cooked noodles. Dark magic encircled her body as the witch seeped the very life from her limbs. She could do nothing. Another blast from the witch sent her flying, and her head hit a large rock, causing blood to seep from the back of her head. Groaning, she stood, only to be hit across the face with the witch's staff. She fell, her hand only inches away from a discarded sword.

"Oiy!" Zelda cried frantically, "Over here you old nag!" Snarling, the witch turned towards the princess, her other target in her revenge. Taking advantage of the moment, Allya grabbed the sword to stab the witch, only to have a Stalfo behind her stab her in the back as she stood. Zelda screamed, unbelieving, as her guardian coughed up blood, stared at the sword sticking out of her belly, and then closed her eyes for the last time.

Grinning, the witch turned back to Zelda and began to advance. The princess stood before her, tears running down her cheeks, and a determined set to her jaw. Lacsis never made it, though, as she was knocked to the side by the princess's new guardian.

Epona, after knocking over the witch, knelt before Zelda. Snorting with impatience when the princess did not get on fast enough, the mare then took off. Zelda was forced to cling to the mare's wiry mane as she twisted and leapt, trying to get to a safer place. The mare reared, bucked, kicked out, and ducked her neck, all the while keeping a fairly stable back so the princess would be able to keep her seat. Zelda gained even more respect for Link's riding abilities; the mare would be counting on him to help balance her if he were the rider. Epona had cuts all over her, though she did not seem to notice. The mare had obviously become a feared force on the battlefield, as many undead shied away from her when they passed them.

That ended, though, when a Stalfo suddenly jumped into the mare's path, holding a long barbed spear. The force of impact threw the princess off balance, and she was thrown from her seat when Epona twisted, trying to rid herself of the painful weapon. The wind knocked out of her lungs, she none the less scrambled to a more sheltered spot. Epona thrashed wildly in her last moments, killing the Stalfo and every other undead near her. Zelda watched with unbelieving eyes. She could not accept the fact that Epona was dying; the mare that had for so long caused headaches and laughs was now dying. She would not accept that Link's horse, his best friend, could die.

"EPONA!" she screamed, sobbing. Tears streamed from her eyes, but there were not enough to hide the thrashing of the noble mare from her. Nor were her screams loud enough to drown out the sounds of the mare's shrieks and of her last, tortured breaths.

Finally still, there lay the most valiant horse she had ever known. Creeping out from her safe spot, Zelda knelt before Epona. In the noise and clamor of battle, this one area was silent now that she had stopped screaming. Sobbing silently, she touched the mare's face. The reality of it all finally hit her. Epona was dead; Allya was dead; who knew, even her father might be dead.

"Poor, poor princess," a voice crooned maliciously.

"To loose such a friend," another continued. Zelda looked up, and through tear filled eyes, saw the remaining two witches: Lacsis and Cloto. Lacsis was decidedly worse for wear, and hung back. Cloto, however, stood very close to Zelda, a sword in her hand.

"But the friend deserved it," Cloto growled as she spat in Epona's direction.

"Bitch!" Zelda screamed, leaping up. How dare this woman patronize her? How dare she mock the deaths of Epona and Allya? How _dare_ she spit at Epona? Forgetting her depleted magic, Zelda began to attack. Her blows, however, were deflected, and she was soon on the defensive. One particularly strong blow sent her falling to the ground, where she landed on her stomach.

Groaning, Zelda tried to get up. A lance of fire across her lower back stopped her. Screaming, she fell back onto the rocky ground.

"How does it fell, princess, to be wounded?" Cloto cackled, handing her sword to Lacsis. The weakened witch slunk off, taking with her the bloodstained blade. Zelda managed to stand, though her balance was poor.

"Time to die, princess," Cloto giggled, "Unless, of course, you promise to serve the Lord Ganon."

"Never," Zelda spat, as she gathered the last of her magic.

"Then die!" Zelda brought her arms up, intending to summon Divine Light. The spell would cost her body, condemning her spirit to the Sacred Realm until it moved on, much like Rauru. She never got the chance as once again she was pushed back. This time, though, the pusher did not wear the dark Sheikah tunic. Instead, he was in a familiar forest green tunic and wore a familiar green hat and bore a familiar and powerful sword.

"Link," she breathed, smiling in relief.

---

Impa found herself on the opposite side of the battle than Link. Running to find the Skull King, she slashed at undead from the protection of her shadows. None could see her in them, but she could still be hit. Seeking directions from Darunia, who was surprised and glad to hear she had returned, she made her way to where the Skull King was. She soon saw him, and her blood ran cold.

Her shadows arched in front of her, covering the Sheikah and Hylians before her. As she ran forward, she gave commands to stay calm and to stay put. Snarling, she attacked the Skull King, putting all her frustration and anger behind her attacks.

The undead King had been surprised to see Impa attack him; he thought that she and Link were still safely back in time three hundred odd years ago. He was able to be pushed back by the furious Sage, though he quickly regained his footing.

The Skull King was not able to attack with fire anymore, though he gained the mastery of dark magic. It was a limited mastery, when compared to that of Ganon and Ganondorf, but it allowed him to keep alive. It annoyed Impa.

_I'm here; get him pinned against a rock_, Darunia's voice said in her mind. Grinning, Impa attacked wildly, pushing the less skilled swordsman back until he was pinned underneath her blade.

_Now **don't** move,_Darunia commanded. Flames shot towards them, and Impa felt her hair stand up on the back of her neck. She was in the middle of the flame stream, yet she was not being burnt. The Skull King was experiencing something else all together. Screaming in pain, he writhed as he tried to get away from the burning fire and the entrapping sword. Darunia's flames were hotter and more painful than any other fire, even more so than molten lava. They were the Sage's Flames, and they derived their power from the fiery passion that Din exuded in all her actions. They were also sacred flames, and thus were that much more painful to the undead.

"You can move now," Darunia's gruff voice rang out. Impa stood back, glad to no longer be surrounded by fire. Turning, she called her shadows back to her. The king stood, as did the Sheikah and Hylian knights around him. Impa rushed over to the last one to stand and threw her arms around his neck.

"You damned fool," she murmured, clinging to her husband in a rare show of affection. The past few months, without his presence, had been hard, and when she saw him standing in front of the Skull King, she had panicked. This was one of the few times she allowed herself to panic, and it was caused by the fact that she could not picture life without him.

"But of course," Dir'ath replied, chuckling as he returned the embrace. Shaking her head, Impa pulled out of the embrace. She turned to look for Jaeh, who had stepped forward, a relieved grin on her face.

"He's all yours now," she said jubilantly, causing everyone around them to laugh.

Impa smiled, though it was only a half smile. "Come, we need to find Link. Has Ganon appeared, in any form?"

Darunia shook his head, "No, thankfully. I think the witches were using the battle to summon him somehow." Impa nodded and was about to speak when another Sage put in her two cents.

"Then let's find those damned witches." They turned and saw Nabooru, leaning heavily on Kai'shya, her second in command.

"You're staying here," Impa said, frowning, as she took in the Spirit Sage's injuries. One of her eyes was shut due to a gash above her eyebrow, and her left leg looked like someone had cut one of her tendons.

"Da-" Nabooru slumped forward and was caught by a slyly grinning Kai'shya. Her left hand retreated from Nabooru's neck, where she had applied pressure to a key nerve in order to knock out her stubborn Queen.

"I'll get her to the healers," the thief promised. "You go on." Nodding, the group set out. Kai'shya and a Hylian knight stayed behind to carry Nabooru to the healer's.

---

Link watched the witch with a wary eye. He mirrored her movements, never getting too far from Zelda, who was still lying on her stomach. When she had tried to get up, he had told her to stay put. She was less noticeable and less likely of getting something into her wound. The princess had done as she was told, and now she watched the two with wide eyes. Link had not seen Epona yet.

Finally the witch attacked, hissing. Link blocked her attack with ease, moving in to attack. The sound of metal on metal rang across the relatively silent field, yet neither fighter noticed the lack of undead. They had disappeared with the final death of their leader, as he was the one who kept them alive.

Cloto growled as she stepped back, after being blocked again. Link was giving her no openings, and the witch was frustrated. She wanted so much to take revenge on him for banishing Ganon, but she knew that the more important task was to return Ganon to Hyrule. She was torn, between two tasks, and it showed. Her mind was elsewhere, arguing with itself, and her defense was sloppy.

In the end, that is what killed her. A dip of the sword, a twist of the feet as she prepared to flee; those tiny movements doomed her when she paused, still wishing to exact her revenge on the Hero of Time. The Master Sword slid up through her ribs, ending her inner struggle. One witch now remained.

Link pulled his sword out of the witch and hastily wiped it before her returned it to the scabbard. He then ran to Zelda, who had raised herself to a sitting position.

"Zelda?" He asked, worried, "Zelda, are you okay?" The princess looked up at him, her eyes full of tears. Shaking her head, she let her head fall onto Link's shoulder as she sobbed. Her hands clung to his tunic, and soon her whole body shook with her cries.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she sobbed into his shoulder, "I couldn't save her; it's my fault."

"What is?" Link asked confused. His arms were wrapped around her waist and shoulders as he tried to comfort her. "What is it Zelda?" As he tried to calm her, he noted with that her wound had clotted over; the gash was not deep.

The princess looked up, and then she looked to her right. Link followed her gaze, and his heart sunk. There lay Epona, sprawled amongst the bones of the undead. Shaking, Link stood and walked over to where she lay, kneeling beside her. Unbelieving, he extended a shaking hand and barely touched Epona's nose. It was cold. He hastily withdrew it, only to grab her mane as he hunched over, crying.

Two arms wrapped themselves around his waist, and a head leaned against his back. Link straightened and turned to look at Zelda. Shaking, he withdrew his hands from Epona's mane and clung to Zelda. The two sat there, clinging to one another for support and reassurance.

A whinny broke the silent spell that had descended over the area. Looking around, Link saw nothing at first. Then, rising from every dead Hylian, Gerudo, Sheikah, Goron, and Zora came a silvery light.

"The spirits…" Zelda breathed, watching in amazement.

_Do you know where they go?_ A voice asked in their heads. Link looked around wildly, until he heard an amused whinny come from beside him. Slowly he turned, unbelieving. There stoodEpona, or at least, her spirit. The mare shook her mane in amusement and proceeded to explain what was going on to the confused pair.

_You know the story of Great-Granny, the first Epona,_ she began. _Silly Malon named me after her. But we are the Spirit Horses! We carry the dead from this world to the next; it is the price that the First Herd pays in order that they and their descendents would be safe._

"You… you're related to the Horse Daughter?" Zelda asked weakly. Epona nodded her head vigorously.

_I act more like Great-Grandsire though. My brother is boring and acts like Great-Granny._

"Brother?" Link asked, amazed. Epona nodded in agreement and then sent out an earsplitting whinny. It was answered, many times, until a herd of Spirit Horses could be seen, lead by a mare that bore a great deal of resemblance to Epona. Shocked, Link and Zelda stood. The spirits of the dead soldiers walked over to the horses and mounted them until only one remained. Zelda's breath caught in her throat; it was Allya.

_I'm sorry, Princess,_ the spirit said, bowing.

"No," Zelda denied, "Don't be. It is I who should be sorry." She then bowed, showing her appreciation and respect of the noble Sheikah. Allya nodded, touched, and turned to Epona. The mare walked over, and Allya mounted.

_I'll be waiting for you, Link, so don't you forget it!_ And with that, the mare turned to follow the herd. Link watched them go, until only a single Spirit Horse was left. Instinctively, he knew that it was the first Epona. The mare bowed before Link and then reared up, letting out a familiar earsplitting whinny before she too turned and disappeared. Link turned to Zelda, confused as to what Epona meant. The princess shrugged, wincing at the act. She opened her mouth to say it was nothing, but fainted before she could get even a word out of her mouth. Her extensive use of magic and the loss of blood had weakened her to the point of exhaustion. Smiling weakly, Link carried her to where he could see Impa and the king standing with Darunia and Ruto.

They too had seen the departure of the spirits, but they had not heard Epona's words. Impa clasped Link's shoulder, looking at him worriedly. He shrugged, smiling sadly. Epona would be waiting for him, he told her, and that was all that mattered.

"Come," the king said softly, "It's over."

The battle was over; they had won.

------

A/N: I think the hardest thing in the chapter was to kill Epona. I love that horse….

The Fiercesomest Dragon Ever: Hehe, its okay to be nit picky.

Parselmaster: Thanks, and I am thinking about other stories to deal with this concept.

Justin Time: Hehe, fast enough?


	16. Chapter 15 Celebration

I don't own anything to do with Zelda.

-----

_The Sage of Time looked out across the Chamber of Sages. Frowning, he raised his hand to his head, feeling the area around his left eye. A lancing pain ran through his head, and he leaned forward, now clutching his head with both hands. It was soon gone, and he raised himself up, sighing at what had just happened. He ran his hand over his left eye, realising that something was gone; he just could not place it. Sighing, he stood. _

_"Link?" someone asked. He turned, and his hair obscured his line of sight from the right eye. The speaker was Zelda, and she looked at him quizzically._

_"I'm fine," he said, standing, "The past concerning me was altered a bit, that's all." Zelda nodded, still worried._

_"I'm fine," he repeated, taking her hand. "It's nothing." Sighing, Zelda smiled._

_"Do you remember what changed?" Link chuckled and shrugged._

_"I think it had to with a scar I had, or once had. I don't really remember." Zelda grinned, slipping her hand around his waist._

_"Well that's good; you'll look better now." Link laughed, pulling his wife closer to him._

--

Link looked out across the fields of Hyrule. He stood at the top of one of the higher towers in the castle; it faced to the south west, the direction Termina lay in. What was he to tell his friends there?

As he pondered on these new thoughts, the day moved on. In what seemed to be a reaction against the restrictive shadows brought by the Skull King, the sun shone brighter than it had ever before. Only a few wispy, pure white clouds graced the sky, and birds could be heard singing from the charred trees. Workers dredged the moat, clearing it of bones, decaying flesh, and rocks. The water, seeming to be in accord with the sun, sparkled and ran clearly, despite what laid on its bed. Others planted trees and grasses, trying to improve the landscape. The land reminded Link of what it had looked like three hundred years earlier, bringing to mind a sense of homesickness. It was an odd feeling, Link thought, especially since it was brought on by the sight of war torn land.

Footsteps caught his attention, and he turned to see Zelda enter the balcony on which he stood. She walked slowly, trying not to jar the wound on her back, and joined him in looking across the fields.

"Someone asked me what I saw in the plains, now that they are so destroyed," she said softly. Link looked at the sadly familiar sight.

"What did you say?" he asked, remembering his own answer to Kelvin's question on the matter.

"Hope, for they will forget us and our terrible deeds. They will forget what destroyed them so, and be all the more beautiful for it." Link smiled weakly at her answer, so similar and so different from his.

"Link…" she said softly, "Link, are you ok?" Link winced, knowing to what she referred to.

"No," he replied simply. "No, no I'm not. I want nothing more than to hear her whinny, to play her song and to see her come barreling over. I want to her the stable hands complain of how she bite them, to laugh when she tries to knock Impa over. But I can't. I can't." He leaned onto the balcony rail, shaking slightly with suppressed sobs. Wordlessly, Zelda wrapped her arms around him, supporting him. Bringing one of his arms up, Link covered her hands with his, taking comfort from her gesture.

"She was one of the reasons I came back," he breathed, trying to stop the tears trying to come out. Zelda bit her lip, wanting to ask what the other reasons were, but daring not to, for her and for him.

"What do you want to do?" she asked, knowing he would not breach the subject himself. Link looked up, surprised and yet relieved that she had asked the question. He scrutinized Zelda's face, but could see nothing but concern and worry. Straightening up, he turned as she let go of him.

"I… I don't know," he confessed. "But I think, I think that I need to leave Hyrule for a little while. I have friends in Termina, and I need to tell them that I'm now a Sage." He said the last word reluctantly before continuing. "And, I need to think without all these memories hitting me." _Not that Termina is going to be any better, but at least I can take a different route when I'm traveling,_ he thought sadly. Zelda nodded, obviously saddened by what he said, though she understood most of his reasoning.

"You'll be back, right?"

Link smiled, taking her hands in his and squeezing them. "Of course, don't worry." Zelda smiled back, returning the squeeze. Dropping one of her hands, Link started to walk towards the stairwell.

"Let's go see how much of a mess Dir'ath has gotten himself into now," he said with a grin. Zelda giggled, and the two departed from the balcony with its view of the perfect sky and the scarred land.

--

Three days later, Link set on his way. He left mid-morning, after saying good bye and promising to return to the Sages and everyone else he passed on his way out. He had to reassure many of the townsfolk, but when they heard that he went to inform friends, they nodded in understanding, patted him on the knee and went on their way.

He rode Taliesin, the coal black stallion that Epona had pastured with. When he had entered the stables to pick a mount earlier in the morning, Taliesin was already waiting for him, being groomed by the stable hands.

"He just came up, sir," one of them had said, shrugging. "And we figured that since you were the only one leaving today, that's who he was for. The mare always did this to us too, though he's being a lot nicer about it." Link had nodded, a little shocked, and rubbed the stallion's nose.

"Well, he's coming along now," was all he said in response, getting a chuckle from some of the hands. They were glad to see that his horse had pulled one on him, since they had been on the receiving end for so many weeks while Epona had been stabled there.

The stallion whinnied when they picked up the pace to an easy canter, and he struck out with a smooth, easy pace. His coat glistened in the sun, and his thick mane billowed behind him. Link leaned back in the saddle, his hands resting on the pommel. Like Epona, Taliesin refused to take a bit. This similarity did not trouble Link though; it relieved him. When he had been required to ride a horse with reins, he was always at a lost. He preferred to use his legs to direct and control a horse, and when he could not, he was as clumsy as a novice. He had never learned how to ride with reins.

Link and Taliesin made their way to the Kokiri Forest, where they stayed for a few days before they headed out for Termina. Link set out on this part of the journey sadly, for he did not want to say good-bye to his friends, nor did he want to confront Romani.

--

_Three years later_

The castle was in an uproar as everyone tried to get everything ready at the last minute. There was to be a ball in celebration tonight, and everybody, or at least it seemed like everybody, was coming. They were celebrating the final completion of all the work that had been done to repair Castle Town and to heal the lands around it. Everyone was invited, and the king had hired dozens of caterers and florists to supply the tables and decorate the halls. The vast majority of Castle Town's inhabitants would be present, and Darunia, Ruto, and Nabooru had brought many of their subjects as well. Impa still was not sure how many Sheikah would be attending; going to a ball was not high on a Sheikah's to-do list. No one noticed when a coal black stallion was stabled in the royal stables, and no one noticed when a youth clad in forest green snuck out of the stables.

Almost no one, that is. Impa had her scouts on the look out for Link ever since the Deku Tree had contacted her and told her that he was on his way back. Now, with her prey in the castle, she nabbed him and whisked him away to the tailor's.

"If I have to go to the ball," she hissed in reply to his protests, "So do you!" With that, she presented him to the tailors and left the room, sitting right outside the door in case he should try and escape, which he did not long after she had sat down.

"Back in," she commanded after grabbing his shirt. "Think of how happy Zelda will be to see you." That clinched it for Link and, blushing madly, he reentered the room. Chuckling, Impa sat down again. She was soon joined by Ruto, who looked at her questionably.

"What do you look like the gar that's caught the rainbow fish?" she asked. Impa blinked; the fishy analogies never failed to throw her off guard for a moment.

"Link's in there," she replied with a grin, "Undergoing the same torture you and Zelda put me through." Ruto let out a giggle, and Link's voice came through the door.

"You are DEAD meat, you two!" This, however, only caused more hysterics on Ruto's part.

"Not a word to Zelda," Impa said as the Zora princess turned to leave. Ruto nodded, still giggling, and went to get herself ready for the ball.

Link came out an hour later, holding an array of green coloured clothing.

"We're lucky you warned us in advance, Lady Sheikah," the senior tailor told Impa as Link glared at her. "We would have had nothing in green otherwise."

"It was nothing; I'm just glad you could get all of this ready at such short notice. You truly are the best in Castle Town." The tailors blushed and waved off the compliment. Nodding good bye, Impa lead the still glowering Link to his room.

"Be ready by sunset," she told him briskly. "I'll be here then to take you to the ball. You're to be attired properly, for you're a Sage now." Link sighed and nodded before he walked into the room, where he promptly dumped his clothes on the bed. Chuckling, Impa shut the door as she left. Muttering under his breath, Link sorted through his new attire, trying to remember what order it was all supposed to go on.

When Impa returned with Dir'ath to pick up Link, both were impressed when he came out. The tailor's magic had worked well as a distinguished young man stood before them in green clothes made of a very fine material. Link's pants were a dark brown, tucked into his nicer pair of boots, which had been shined until one could no longer see the scuffs on them. His over shirt was a dark jade green and embroidered on the bottom in a forest motif. The swirling leaf and vine border could also be seen on the edge of his sleeves. The collar from his undershirt could be seen, which was a silky material and a paler jade green. Impa smiled, impressed at the tailor's intuition, for this style of over and under shirts was similar to what Link was used to wearing, giving him some comfort in the strange ball. A short cape was draped over one shoulder, signifying his status as Sage. It was of a dark green, and it too had the leaf and vine motif at the bottom. The cloak pin that held it in place was in the shape of the Triforce, with the cloak ends going through the empty triangle in the center. An embroidered Triforce was also on the left side of his shirt, though it and the cloak pin were in silver instead of the typical gold. His belt, dark brown leather, held the scabbard where the Master Sword rested around his waist. This, too, marked his status as Sage and as Hero, for no one else was allowed to bring weapons.

"Well," Link asked weakly, "Do I at least look ok?" Dir'ath choked, trying to hold back a guffaw. Impa elbowed him in the stomach, but that just caused the laugh to come out.

"You look fine," she reassured him. Link nodded, noting her and Dir'ath's outfits now that his embarrassment had passed somewhat.

Both where dressed in blacks and grays, and the outfits were close fitting, in traditional Sheikah style. Impa was actually in a dress, though the high slits on the sides allowed her full range of motion. It was a dark steel gray, decorated with the Sheikah eye. The sides of the dress were embroidered with a geometric design, the black embroidery focusing on the several, smaller Sheikah eyes. Her tight sleeves billowed out after they reached her elbows, hiding the thin blades strapped to her upper forearm. Link was not the only one allowed to have weapons, though hers were mainly for comfort than for status, since no one could see them. Dull black tights covered her legs, and her feet were shod in soft, tight fitting leather boots that were also a dull black and that came up to just below her knee.

Dir'ath was clad in a dark grey tunic, which also had the Sheikah eye on the front. His sleeves were tight fitting all the way to the wrist, and he bore no knives. This did not trouble him as much as the same situation would have troubled Impa though. His pants were also black, though of a different hue than Impa's due to the differences in cloth. The boots that he wore were of a similar make to Link's, where the top flap was folded down, but they were black and of a tighter fit. And, as always, he wore his characteristic grin on his face.

They traveled through softly lit hallways, decorated in varieties of flowers and vines. Candles shone from the multiple chandeliers and candle holders, illuminating the high ceilings with their painted murals and the portraits of prominent Hylians that graced the walls. The carpet, a deep hue of burgundy, was soft under their feet. Link however, was too nervous to notice much. He did not want to be here.

When they entered the ballroom, it was already crowded. People of all the races and of all social statuses were in attendance, gossiping and talking with one another. Scanning the busy hall, Impa quickly spotted Darunia. Nodding in his direction, she and Dir'ath walked over, followed by Link. They had to weave their way through groups of people, nodding in greeting. Soon, though, they arrived where Darunia stood with Ruto, her escort, and Nabooru.

"Brother!" Darunia exclaimed when he saw Link, who smiled broadly in return.

"It's good to see you again Darunia," he said after being patted, gently, on the back by Darunia. The Goron chuckled at Link's attempt not to wince. A gentle Goron pat was still painful.

"You clean up pretty good kid," Nabooru commented, causing Ruto to break into a fit of giggles.

"Thanks," Link said dryly while glaring at Ruto.

"So where is Zelda?" Dir'ath asked innocently, causing Link's glare to be transferred to him.

"Fending off the pampered idiots," Nabooru replied, a sly grin on her face. She took the opportunity to tease Link, who did not have any similar dirt on her to retaliate.

"Stop it," Impa finally said, ending it. She called out to Zelda through the mind link, and the princess took the opportunity to escape from the potential suitors she had been trying to ignore.

"Thank you s- Link! You're back!" she exclaimed in surprise, causing Nabooru to snicker.

"I just got in," Link replied, trying not to blush, "I was absconded by Impa when I got here."

"Still, I'm glad you could make it!" Zelda said, smiling broadly. Link smiled in return, relaxing. He decided not to mention that it had been a fluke that he had arrived in time.

Nabooru raised an eyebrow in mirth as she watched Link and Zelda. She did not say anything, for Impa had sent her a warning glare when Zelda walked over, but she noted it all to tease the two about, separately, later. She had been confused as to why the tailors had held onto the princess's dress until the day before, but she now saw why. They had rummaged through all their stock of green clothing to find some that would complement the princess's dress.

Zelda was in a flowing dress of pale purple with silver highlights. The skirt was full, and it split at the waistline, revealing a deep purple underskirt made of silky material. The waistline dipped down in the middle of the dress, accented by a raised border of the pale purple fabric. The sleeves, like Impa's, flared out after they hit the elbow. Hers flared out more, though, and the under sleeve was a deep purple. The neckline dipped down, showing off the princess's shoulders while still remaining modest. It was bordered with a swirling design found in Nayru's Temples. The border also decorated the edge of her sleeves and the hem of the dress. Her hair was done up in an elaborate bun, with strings of amethyst gems woven in. Earrings with amethyst stones hung from her ears; their length accenting the length of her neck. A tear drop necklace, also amethyst, hung around her neck, resting just about the neckline of the gown. When she stood next to Link, as she did now, the two looked like they had planned to come to the ball together. Chuckling, Nabooru nudged Impa with her mind.

_Didn't know you were a matchmaker,_ she sent, eyes twinkling. Impa turned to face Nabooru, a smirk on her face.

"It was all his idea, making it one of the few times he had a good one," she said, nodding her head in Dir'ath's direction. Dir'ath turned, joining in on the conversation.

"And I was going to ask you to dance too, but then you had to go and insult me," he joked as Impa rolled her eyes.

"You wouldn't dare," she whispered, and Dir'ath chuckled.

"Shall we?" he asked, gesturing to the dance floor. Shaking her head, but smiling, Impa followed him just as the orchestra began to play a waltz. Nabooru waved and went off to find a partner, while Ruto and her escort followed Dir'ath and Impa. Darunia had been pulled to the side by a general, wanting to introduce the Goron to his son and nephew.

"I'd ask you to dance," Link said softly, watching Impa and Dir'ath glide through the waltz, "But I'm afraid I would end up stepping all over your feet." Zelda smiled and took Link's hand.

"That's ok," she replied, "Shall we go for a walk instead?" Link smiled, relieved, and offered her his arm.

"Sounds wonderful." Giggling, Zelda placed her hand on his arm and followed him out of the crowded ballroom and into the cool garden, lighted by faery lights.

The garden had been completely redesigned after the undead attack. The paths, lined with hedges, had stones with brightly coloured flecks in them along their edges. Niches had been created, filled with various plants from around Hyrule. Faery lights, little globes that gave off light due to the faery magic that had been place in them, hung from elaborate poles, illuminating the wanderers' way. In the center of the gardens, were Link and Zelda eventually ended, was a bent over weeping willow, one of the few plants to have survived the attack. It was a huge, ancient tree, and it had come to Castle Town as a seedling; a gift from the Deku Tree on the birth of the royal heir, almost two hundred years ago. Under its boughs was a bench, surrounded by various wildflowers and ivies, which ran up the trunk of the great tree. It was surrounded by faery lights, giving the area a pale, blue glow. The two stood there for a few minutes, content to stand in the presence of the tree.

"Zelda," Link finally said, after clearing his throat. "Can I ask you something?" The princess turned to look at him, confused. She sensed the nervousness in his voice and was worried to hear what he had to say.

"Yes?"

"If I gave you this, would it be too soon?" He pulled a small box out of his pocket and opened it. Zelda gasped.

"A promise ring?" she whispered, picking it up. Link nodded.

"I know I haven't had my memories back for very long, compared to everyone else, and that we haven't been around each other very much, but still," he paused, at lost as to what he should say next. Zelda looked up at him, tears in her eyes, with the ring in her hand.

"It's just… I feel normal when I'm with you; I feel like I can be me. When I was back in the past, I kept wondering how you were doing. I… It's just that… I sound so stupid right now, don't I?" he finished, turning away in embarrassment.

"No, no you don't!" Zelda exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck when he turned back. "You don't sound stupid at all," she murmured into his shoulder. She knew of this feeling that Link could not explain. She had tried to explain it to Ruto one day, and had been at just a loss of words as he was now. The love they felt for one another was different from the love that her father had felt for her mother. It was something felt with all the heart and all the soul, and it defied explanation. Smiling in relief, Link wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. As they embraced, a new awareness opened in their minds. They could now sense each other, as they could the magic that floated around each of the Sages. They could also sense each other's feelings, which were extremely happy at the moment. When Zelda let go, she slipped the ring onto the middle finger of her left hand. Link smiled broadly, his arms still around her waist.

A promise ring was unique to the Hylian upper class, where marriages were more often arranged than not. By accepting the ring, the woman did not bind herself to the man, as she did with the engagement ring. Instead, she showed others that she had chosen someone and was waiting for the possible engagement to be approved. The ring that Link had given Zelda was of a dark wood with a Triforce design on it. The intricate design that encircled it was of Sheikah origin.

"Father gave it to me just before I left," Link told Zelda, "It was my mother's engagement ring."

"It's beautiful," she replied, looking up at him. Link leaned forward, and Zelda inclined her head up. Just as their lips were about to meet, the ground shook beneath their feet. Grabbing one another for support, they looked up towards the castle.

Flames were shooting out of the windows; screams could be heard, and an overwhelming presence of evil made itself known.

Ganon was out.

----

A/N: Haha, you thought it was done, eh? Sorry about the over descriptiveness on the clothes at the beginning; it was just too much fun. I love fantasy outfits.

And I am sorry that I killed Epona, I really really am. She has another part to play, so don't worry. She'll be back. And reviews are always welcome, so please let me know what you think!

Tizamiki: She meant exactly what she said, she'll be waiting. She has a better idea of what's going on than Link does.

Justin Time: Yeah, that's what they do. Sorry for not explaining it. ;

Parselmaster: Yeah, I really just wanted to get the chapter over with. Not too fond of writing battle scenes, I'm afraid.

The Fiercesomest Dragon Ever: Every time I type out your name I have to giggle. Anywho… thanks for the review, nit pickyness is ok!

Astryel: Sorry. I didn't like killing her, I truly didn't.


	17. Chapter 16 Final Battle

I don't own anything to do with Zelda.

-----

I don't own anything to do with Zelda (I only wish..)

--

Impa slammed against the wall, her head hitting the stone painfully. Everything was moving, and her vision started to go. Dark magic surrounded her, and she was lifted up into the air.

"You have been a most irksome thorn, Sheikah," Ganon spat, as he toyed with her. Dropping his hand, he let her fall.

"Hiding the princess in the form of that damned boy, Sheik. Leading a resistance against my commander, Ganondorf. And, most of all, becoming one of the Sages and sealing me." He leaned close, thrusting up a shield as Darunia sent out a blast of fire, and smiled. "But I'm out now, and I'm not leaving."

Spinning, he sent out multiple blasts of magic, pinning each of the Sages to the ground. His minions, dark creatures that he had brought over with him, kept the rest of the people pinned against walls or under tables. Their dark, twisted forms with horns and claws, as well as wings for a few, were the stuff of nightmares, terrifying the unprepared ball attendees into submission. A few had retaliated, only to be pinned down with cruel spears, to slowly bleed to death. Jaeh had been one of those, as had been Kai'shya and the Hylian general that Daurnia had been talking to. The rest of the room's inhabitants waited, watching Ganon and the Sages nervously.

Ganon raised his arms and began to chant, a cruel and ominous sounding chant. Before him, a black bubbled roiled and shimmered, until it burst, revealing a green bubble with a forest green clad girl in it. Her back was arched in pain, and her mouth was open, but no screams came forth.

"They're all here," he whispered, sending Saria to the side, "Now all I need is that brat of a princess and that damn boy who thinks he's a hero." Ganon spun again, reveling in the moment, and faced the king, who had been forced to his knees by two of the minions.

"Do you want to know how I got out?" the evil king asked maliciously. "It was your daughter's blood. The blood that runs through her veins is the blood of the ones who sealed me in the first place; they were the Kings of the Ancients, the people the first Sages were of. They sealed me and most died. For all their magic was used up. The remaining one married into the Hylian royal family. And now," he grinned wildly, "And now, I'm OUT!" Laughing evilly, he strode to where Nabooru kneeled, clutching her wounded side. The Gerudo queen looked up at him through her remaining eye and spat on him. Blood landed on his shoes, but Ganon took no notice.

"I no longer have to rely on the body of another, weaker being. Soon, all of my spirit will have left that other world, and then no one can stop me."

_Are you so sure?_

_You are forgetting something. _Ganon snarled and spun to see where the soft voices came from. Standing beside the king were two men, a Hylian and a Sheikah, respectively. Besides them stood two fine horses, one of coal black and the other a red chestnut with flaxen mane and tail.

_It may take one to release you, but it only takes two to seal._

_You're even more of an idiot if you've forgotten that._ Impa had raised her head when the first one spoke again. Though he now had a beard and was older, she recognised him. It was Aedan, the first king, and beside him stood Izal. The Sheikah smiled when she caught his eye and nodded. Link had the blood too.

Standing shakily, Impa sent out a signal to the other Sages. As one, they attacked.

--

Link pulled Zelda along as they ran along the garden paths. When they felt the evil aura emitting from the castle, the two had begun their headlong dash. They could sense the minions searching the garden and could hear the screams when the evil creatures found others who had decided to escape the crowded ballroom and go for a walk. As soon as they began their flight, Link had entered his 'battle-mode'; his adrenaline pounded, and his senses caught every noise, every motion. Zelda, being pulled by one hand, held her skirts up with the other, cursing under her breath every time they caught on a branch.

They came to a sudden halt, however, when a figure stepped out in front, blocking their path.

"How does it feel, to know you've allowed the great Ganon to rise again?" Lacsis cackled, still furious at the two due to the deaths of her sisters. Letting go of Zelda's hand, Link lunged forward, drawing his sword. The witch, too caught up in the chance of getting revenge, died as soon as the Master Sword pierced her heart. Wiping it on his cloak, Link sheathed the blade and turned to Zelda.

"Come," he urged, "Let's go." The princess turned to him, her face pale.

"My blood…" she whispered, remembering a warning from three years ago and the wound that came not long after the warning was given. "They used my blood…" She covered her face with her hands, shaking. Link walked over and wrapped his arms around her.

"We've got to go," he whispered after a few moments, and she nodded. They started on their way to the castle again, avoiding the minions crashing through the paths.

They did not know it, but their steps were being drawn away from the ball room and down to the room directly below it. The dark magic that emitted from the room covered another, older magic. That magic reached out to the two, drawing them towards it unconsciously. The magic was the remnants of the seal that had sealed Ganon eons ago. The seal had been made by the seven Ancient Kings, and it had cost six of them their lives. Their blood completed the seal, locking not only the body of Ganon, but his spirit as well. The magic in their blood, as well as their desire to protect, above all else, Hyrule had allowed them to seal Ganon's spirit as well.

The remaining one was a brother to two of the other Kings and cousin to the others. The seven Ancient Kings were all related, and due to the marriage of the last one into the Hylian Royal family, they were related to Link and Zelda as well. The blood that ran through their veins carried the same magic that now seeped from the seal, which called out in terror as Ganon's spirit slowly made its way to his body.

Link slowed their pace when they found themselves in a rubble filled corridor. There was a large opening just to their right; most of the rubble was around that opening, as if something had burst through.

"That wasn't there yesterday," Zelda whispered, confused. "I know it wasn't; I came down here, looking for Impa. It wasn't there." Link frowned and inched towards it. Instantly a rush of magic engulfed them, and images ran through their heads as the seal reached out.

_"Now! We must seal him!"_

_Seven men, three elders and four younger men stood in a circle. Their robes tattered, their hair flying, they stood in a barren field. Storm clouds thundered, and fire raced across the land._

_"Not all of us will return," one of the elders said, and the others shook their heads vigorously._

_"If it will seal the demon, then let it be done!"_

Link's mind reeled as the visions raced. The land looked like it had during the Tribal Wars, and the demon the men referred to had to be Ganon. The visions then skipped ahead, returning with the sight of the one of the younger men, leaving behind a large, intricately designed circle of stones. They finished with a marriage ceremony, the last King marrying a young woman who, due to the insignias and designs that her dress bore, looked to be of the Hylian royal family.

After they had recovered from the sudden onslaught, Link and Zelda headed into the room. There, on the ground, was the intricately designed circle they had seen in the visions. Only now the intricate designs and bright colours were disappearing, leaving behind cold, grey stones. Pausing only a moment to reaffirm the decision with each other, the two walked to the circle's center, where they stopped. Link drew the Master Sword and thrust it into the stone pedestal in the circle's center. Closing her eyes, Zelda brought out the Triforce of Wisdom and, splitting it into two parts and giving them chains of light, hung them on the sword's hilt. Link then brought out the Triforce of Courage and smiled wryly.

"My own test," he whispered, "For the next bearer." He broke the triforce into eight pieces and sent them to various places in Hyrule, where they hid themselves deep within the land. They would come out when the Triforce of Wisdom parts were joined.

A light came up, surrounding them. Link took Zelda's hands in his, holding them tight.

"I love you," he whispered. Zelda's eyes watered, and she squeezed Link's hands in return.

"I love you too." Leaning forward, Link's lips brushed against hers just as the light engulfed them, taking them away.

--

Nabooru hated Ganon. She hated him with such passion that it even shocked her. The Gerudo queen was a woman of strong emotions; she did not compromise on them, nor did she rein them back. As her close friends were fond of saying, it was all or nothing.

This hate that she felt, though, was something that she had never experienced. It was something that was well warranted though, as she watched Ganon throw the Sages against the walls, punishment for daring to fight him once more.

"Pig," she spat, clearing her mouth of blood. A spear butt cracked against her head, but she did not feel it. She did not feel anything anymore; not her dead eye, not the gash in her side, not the numerous head wounds she had acquired. All she felt was the hate that the pig man had caused her to feel.

Impa was in the worst condition, from what she could see. Ganon was taking particular delight in punishing the Sheikah, the acknowledged head of the Sages. Nabooru was amazed that Impa could even stand; especially after Ganon had thrown her across the room. Saria was in a great deal of pain, part of it due to her being away from the forest. The young girl lay behind her, sobbing softly. Darunia lay partly covered by rubble; he had been thrown against a large pillar, which had fallen and covered him in debris. He was currently trying to get out, but in his weakened state, it was proving to be a large effort. Nabooru could not see where Ruto was, so she guessed that the Zora was on her right side, the side with the dead eye.

Ganon, who had been reveling in his new found freedom, had been enjoying himself throwing around the Sages. He had completely forgotten the words of the two spirits, and Nabooru wished more than anything that they were right, that the pig faced man would be sealed again. How, she did not know, but she would give anything to see Ganon sealed again. She had loved Kai'shya as a sister, as a friend. She would see Ganon pay for her death.

Suddenly, magic seeped up from the floor, wrapping itself around Ganon. The evil king stopped, his eyes wide. The magic was of two colours; one was a pale green with silver interspersed, and the other was golden, the colour of light. It was the magic of Time and the magic of Light, the two most powerful of the Sages' magic. The magic kept coming up, weaving itself into complex knots, covering all of Ganon bit by bit.

"NO!" He thundered, fighting his bonds, "I WILL NOT return! I WILL NOT be sealed again!" Dark magic spewed from his fists, trying to break the entrapping magic. The rising magic swelled, allowing space for the dark magic to swirl about in. This, however, caused it to rise slower, and the dark magic was quickly rising to the top of the bonds, which were to Ganon's eye level by now.

Growling, the pig man sent out more magic, causing some to start rising above the bonds of gold and green.

"No way are you getting out," Nabooru hissed. She sent out her remaining magic, trying to contain the rising dark magic which was threatening the magical bonds. Grey magic of the shadows soon joined her deep red spirit magic. Darunia's fiery red magic and Saria's green forest magic then joined, and Ruto's deep blue magic of the seas topped the bonds. Howling in rage, Ganon was pulled down through the floor, which was not destroyed in the process. His minions soon disappeared as well, joining their master wherever he had been taken to. Nabooru tried to stand then, but all her strength had left her, and she collapsed, falling into unconsciousness.

--

Link opened his eyes to find himself in a world of shadows. He stood, looking around, fighting back a panic when he realised he was alone. Where was Zelda?

**_She is fine._** A voice said from the shadows. Link spun, trying to find the speaker. A green light slowly flickered until it was so bright he could no longer look at it; he closed his eyes and turned his head.

**_Look at me, Hero of Time, Sage of Time._** The command was said in a firm, yet kind way, and Link turned back to look upon the most striking figure he had ever seen. It was the goddess Farore.

Short green hair framed her face, the straight locks cut in a style that would have been considered a male's cut. Her piercing dark green eyes bore through him, and her green attire was that of a warrior's; simple and functional. She bore no weapon; why should a goddess need one, after all? She carried, however, a jade green ocarina that was very similar to the Ocarina of Time. She smiled as Link suddenly remembered his own ocarina, reaching down to see if he still had it.

**_The Ocarina of Time must stay in Hyrule,_** she explained when he realised he did not have it. **_But should you wish, another will be made available to you while you are here._**

****"Where is here?" Link asked.

**_This is the place of between. Here you must chose, do you continue on to the world of the dead, where your family is, or do you continue on to the world of the shadows of light, where the spirit herd dwells?_**

****"What happens if I go to where the horses are?" Link asked, tempted to move on to the world of the dead, to be done with being a hero.

**_There you will continue to be a Sage until the next Hero completes the seal and frees you and Zelda, should she choose to go there._**

****"The seal isn't complete?" Link's breath caught in his throat. After all that, Ganon still had a chance to get out?

**_No, but don't fear. Ganon cannot get out unless the blood that is in your and Zelda's veins is spilt on the seal. He would be very hard pressed to find someone that would do now. He can still send out his spirit though, as he did in that other time._**

****"I see." Link paused, thinking hard on the matter. He wanted to be done with life, to stop being this hero. Yet if he left now, there would be no Enzaman to help him when he was sent back in time; there would be no Enzaman to tell Rauru and the other original Sages that they were to guard Hyrule. Would he have even become a Sage then? Would there even be any Sages?

Then there was the matter of Zelda. She would go to the land of the shadows of light, if only to help Hyrule and to see the other Sages again. Link did not want to leave her again.

_I'll be waiting for you. _Epona's last words to him; she'd be waiting, in the world of the shadows of light. He could not go to the world of the dead yet, not without seeing her again.

"Will I be able to go back in Time from the world of the shadows of light?" Link asked. Farore smiled, her eyes twinkling in approval.

**_Yes, though you will need to take a spirit horse with you to breach the gap between Hyrule and that world._** Nodding, Link sighed.

"Then I will go there."

Farore smiled broadly as she stretched her arms out.

**_I knew you would say that; Din has no faith in you at all, young hero. _**Smiling, she flicked her hands, and the world of shadows disappeared. They were now in a land of light, where horses grazed and a few Hylians walked. Farore placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed his forehead.

**_I am proud to have had you bear the Triforce of Courage, hero. Despite what you may think, you are a hero, in all possible meanings of the word._** With that, she was gone, and Link turned to see Zelda running towards him. When she reached him, he was enveloped in a big hug, and her laughter filled his ears. A playful nudge on his arm sent the two to the ground, and Link looked up to see Epona standing above them, her eyes twinkling with her characteristic mischievousness.

_Took you long enough._

_ Impa stayed behind as Izra went to speak with the Zora ambassador. A slight breeze caught her attention, though nothing was there and the windows were closed. She missed the shadowy figures melding through the door. _

_Link stopped Aerin when he came to the tree where the horse and the cloaked man stood. The man did not touch the horse, and his cloak did not move with the slight breeze._

_"My name is my own," he said in response to Link's question. _

_ Link sighed, shaking his head at the Sage's comments. Would this odd man never leave him alone? Grinning, the Sage turned to Link._

_"By the way, the name's Enzaman. He turned to leave, but Link called out quickly,_

_"What does that mean?" _

_ "I remember always wondering why Enzaman's cloak never moved with the breeze," Rauru said to Allya. "I finally asked him, and he told me that his body was tied to the land, and that his spirit had been separated from it." _

_ A cloaked man walked towards him, and the cowl was pushed back. It was his face, but it was not much older than it was now. The older Link laughed at his disappointed face._

_"Don't worry; you will get to choose what you look like. I just don't like having wrinkles and scars." _

_--_

After spending a week in the infirmary, the Sages, minus Saria who had returned to the forest, walked down to the room below the ball room. Workers had cleared the hallway, which was good, Nabooru thought, for Impa was in a wheelchair.

The Sages had not felt their magic return since they had woken after Ganon's attack. A quick mind question to Saria confirmed that she too was devoid of her magic. However, when they looked at each other with their magic sense, they could see the others' Sage auras. Nabooru wondered if it was not that their magic had not returned but that they could not access it.

When they entered the room, they all stared in awe at the circle of stones on the floor. A brilliant design wrapped itself around, telling the story of the Hero of Time. His battle against Ganon was depicted most beautifully, with a resolute princess Zelda standing nearby. The return to before Ganondorf's attack was shown, as well as Link's exploits in Termina against Majora's Mask. The Master Sword stood in the middle, and the Triforce of Wisdom parts still hung from it. No one had dared to touch them; the awe they felt for the princess and the hero was stronger than even the best thief's greed.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" a sad voice asked them. The five Sages turned to see the king walk in, his arm in a sling.

"Yes," Impa said, just as sadly. "Look, it tells how they sealed Ganon." The six of them were so intent on deciphering the tiny pictures that they did not notice the two spirits enter the room. The guards' eyes widened, and they were silenced by a finger raised to a mischievously grinning mouth.

_We can help you with that, if you like. The pictures are awfully small, I don't know if someone of your ages should strain your eyes that much._ Gasping, the five turned at the sound of a familiar voice. There stood Link and Zelda, and Epona stood farther back. The two smiled broadly, happy to see the others.

"I'm old?" Impa snapped, "You're over three hundred years old you idiot." Link only grinned.

_Ah, but I got to spend almost all of it as a seven year old. And I was there, so I don't need to strain my eyes to read the pictures that say what happened._

"Then enlighten us, oh aged one."

_You'll get no where that way,_ Link smirked, and Impa scowled.

"Kid, just tell us what happened," Nabooru said, exasperated. Chuckling, Link complied.

_Ganon broke through the seal after Zelda's blood was put on it. We were coming back to the ball room to help, but the seal's magic drew us here. When we got here, the seal showed us how Ganon had been sealed, _Link began to explain. Nodding, Zelda then took up the tale.

_After that, we then went to the middle of the seal, offering to do whatever needed to be done to seal Ganon. Magic surrounded us, and then we were sent the world of the shadows. I'm not sure what happened between this world and the shadow world. After that, Farore went to Link and Nayru came to me. They gave us a choice, and we both chose to go to the land of the shadows of light, where Epona's herd lives._

"The world between the spirit world and here?" Nabooru asked. The two spirits nodded.

_We will reside there until the seal is completed. Farore said something about another hero, but I'm not sure what she meant exactly. Whoever he or she is, the Master Sword will remain here until it is drawn. The Triforce of Courage is spread throughout the land; the hero will need to find all eight parts. _Link paused, trying to remember something. _Also, your powers- they are still there, only they are trapped up in the seal, as our bodies are. That's why you can't reach them. You are still Sages though, and they are technically still there, as odd as that sounds._

"Nothing sounds odd anymore," Ruto said, and the others nodded. Link smiled weakly. Epona suddenly sent out a whinny, and they looked at her. She had paled some; her spirit was no longer as substantial.

_We have to go now,_ Zelda said sadly, _Epona can not keep us both here for much longer. When Taliesin comes, we will return to see everyone. _

"I will hold you to that," the king said, trying to hold back his tears. His daughter had no such qualms, though, as her tears began to flow down her cheeks when she nodded.

_The Triforce of Wisdom- one part is for you father, the other give to your new heir. One part shall be held by the king or queen of Hyrule, the other by the heir to the throne. When the time comes, the Triforce will call out, ready to be joined together. Good bye everyone._

"What does Taliesin have to do with this?" Impa asked quickly.

_He's Epona's brother,_ Link called out as they began to disappear, returning to the world of the shadows of light.

"My daughter is gone," the king whispered softly.

Seven years later, that same day

Two spirits watched a man that they had loved be lowered into the ground, for he had finally succumbed to the rigors of old age. As they covered him where he lay next to his sister, Zelda held Link close, supporting him as he wept for his father.

Impa walked over to a tombstone, ignoring her bad leg. On it she placed a bunch of purple flowers, and on the one beside it, she placed a bunch of white flowers. Purple was for the man she loved; white for the daughter that never married.

Darunia closed his eyes, spending a few moments in complete silence as he remembered those lost. Those lost to the escaped madman, and those lost to seal him.

Nabooru covered her left eye with her hand, spending a few moments in complete darkness. Tears filled her palm; tears cried for a sister-friend lost, tears for the loss of innocence of so many children.

Ruto watched her children with a soft smile. She took in their laughter and their smiles as if she were a stand of kelp and they the sun, remembering the smile of a friend with a child's heart.

Saria played a haunting song in the depths of the forest, daring anyone who heard it to come in. It was a song of sorrow, a song of joy. It had moments of love, moments of terror. It knew happiness and sadness, friendship and hate.

After all, that was what their lives had been. Yet her song held more than the life of one mortal, more than even the life of a Sage. It held the life of Hyrule in it, the life of the land that no matter how many times it was destroyed, it refused to die. It refused to give into despair, to remember the hate that had lanced across it.

In the end, Saria's song was one of forgiveness, of love that was far more than the love that one can feel for another. It was the love of a land for its people, and the forgiveness granted without restrictions to anyone, no matter what they did.

It was the song of the goddesses.

--

A/N: Ahh, last chapter. There's an epilogue (really short though) and then this story will be done. Thank you everyone who has born with me.

Itxier: Thanks a bunch! Glad to hear you like it.

Tizamiki: Glad you liked my clothing descriptions.

Astryel: I think I will think twice about ever killing Epona again.

Blazestarre: Thanks a bunch! I try.

The Fiercesomest Dragon Ever: I think I giggle because I didn't come up with the name. And yes, it's all Saria's fault. Hehe ;)

Dragon's Hitokiri: Glad to hear you liked the scene of Impa absconding Link.


	18. Epilogue

I don't own anything to do with Zelda.

-----

"Psh, what a mess…" a red haired woman said as she peered into a spring of boiling water. "Hyrule is to be washed away, but what to do about those two?"

"We let them go," a soft voice said matter of factly. The kneeling woman stood, turning to face her sister. The two could not have been more different; one was the embodiment of fire and power, the other of water and cool knowledge. They were the goddesses Din and Nayru.

Din had fiery red hair that was a deep red at the roots and gradually became a fiery orange at the tips. She wore it up in a high ponytail, and it came down to her waist. In contrast to her sister, Din wore loose fitting pants that clasped just above the ankles and rode low on her hips. They were a dusky reddish brown, complementing her dark skin. Her top was a simple bodice, baring her belly. Gold bracelets adorned her wrists and arm bands clasped her upper arms. Her red eyes flashed, and her full lips were pursed as she looked at her sister, her sharp nose held high.

"And how do we do that, since the seal isn't complete?" she demanded. Nayru smiled, and shook her head.

"It will be swept away soon. How will Ganon be able to spill the blood of the Ancients on a seal that has been swept away?"

Nayru pushed her long blue hair behind her ear as she smiled at Din, her soft brown eyes sparkling. She let her hair fall loose, and it reached her knees. She wore a flowing dress with an over robe. The dress was a pale blue, the colour of shallow polar water. The over robe with its billowing sleeves was a deep blue, the colour of deep tropical waters. It had two large pockets on either side; one held a pair of reading glasses and an assortment of bookmarks, and the other held a small, but fat, book.

Din snorted when she saw the glasses. "Why do you even keep those around? It's not like you need them."

Laughing, Nayru beckoned her sister to follow her as she turned. "They make me look smart, so why not? I am supposed to be the goddess of wisdom, no? Come, Farore has managed to get Time to come and see us, so we need to speak to her about this." Din scowled; she never liked it when Time came. The fourth goddess had always unnerved her.

Time had no face; at least, if she did, no one ever saw it. The tall woman, if that was her gender, covered her head and face with a series of shawls, one on top of the other. The only thing that was visible under the shawls was her hair, which fell to the ground and dragged behind her, like a train. It was white, without even the hint of silver that people gained as they aged. Her shawls were all different colours, but all were grayish. Her robes, layered like her shawls, were the same, and it was very rare that her pale hands would ever extract themselves from the various layers of fabric. Time, more than the three sisters could ever be, was unnatural. She had been around when the three had come to the land, and Din had no doubt that if Ganon was to win someday and dispose of them, that Time would remain. She doubted that Ganon could win against Time.

Farore looked up at her sisters when they entered the gardens where she waited with Time. Farore dressed plainly, and her hair alone of her sister's was short. With her flat chest, Din had often teased the green haired goddess that she could pass off as a man if she so chose. Farore had not been amused.

"Time says that if we are to release Link and Zelda, now is the time." Nayru nodded, and Din frowned.

"Will the seal stay up long enough? Ganon won't be able to break through once we let them out, will he?" As much as the hero and princess annoyed her, Din did not want Ganon to get out and make all their sacrifices worthless.

"Their powers will stay in the seal," Time whispered. "That will keep Ganon in check until the seal has been completely washed away. Then they can live a normal lifespan, die and stop being a strain on the time stream. They've given me more grey hairs than any other race combined." Farore raised an eyebrow at Time's comment.

"You've hid them well," she remarked dryly. Time gave her a withering look, but due to the shawls, it was ineffective.

"Then we will tell Epona and Taliesin to take them back," Nayru cut in quickly. "Their bodies will be returned to them when they reenter the world of the living."

"They will be their correct age, too," Time added in. "I am tired of having to patch up the tears these two create."

"What about your gift?" Din asked, referring to the Ocarina of Time. When the peoples of Hyrule were first created, each goddess had made a gift. Time's was the Ocarina; Nayru's was the Harp of Ages. Din gave the Master Sword, and Farore sent the Wind Waker.

"It will no longer be able to move time," the grey goddess said, "But it can still work other magic. I believe the Hero gave it to his son when he sent the two up." The three sisters nodded, and Time said good-bye and left.

"I wonder what will happen, now that they will return," Nayru whispered after they had told Epona and Taliesin what to do. Farore shrugged.

"They'll find their children and live life out," she said, "That's been on Link's mind ever since his son and daughter were sent to the world of the living."

"I hope they do," Nayru sighed, "I've been able to forget every other look that has been thrown my way by mortals except for the one he gave me when the children left. I could not even look at Zelda."

Din snorted, "That's because you're a bleeding heart. The two will do what they'll do, and they can't blame us for it anymore. What I want to see is what they do now that they have no evil king or an imp in a mask to fight. This is going to be fun to watch."

---

A man in a tattered green tunic pushed himself up on a beach, spitting out sand as he did. His hat was long gone, and his graying blonde hair stuck to his face. His leather boots were ruined from the salt water, but he did not care. The mere fact that they were able to be ruined was enough to make him smile.

He was in the world of the living once again.

A woman in breeches and a large shirt rolled over on a beach, cursing under her breath as sand fell into her eyes. Groaning, she pushed herself up, and silver-blonde locks of hair, matted with sand, fell over her shoulders. Looking at them in disgust, she pushed them over her shoulders, tying her hair up with strip ripped from the bottom of her shirt. Standing, she surveyed the land around her. In the distance she could see an island with a large mountain rising from it; it was not too far from the small island she was currently on. A sudden whoop caused her to jump, and she looked around, shocked.

She was suddenly lifted from behind and swung around. Looking down at the hands around her waist, she relaxed as she recognised them and laughed. When she was set down, she turned to look at the man behind her. His blue eyes smiled back at her, and she was shocked to see the crow's feet around them.

"We're back, Zel, we've returned," Link laughed, "And we're old, which means this is the time that the kids are in." Her breath caught in her throat, Zelda stared at Link. When his smile did not fade, she began to breathe again and grinned in return. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leaned forward and kissed him.

"We're finally home," Link whispered, his forehead resting on hers, "We're home."

--

A/N: Story's done! There'll be a sequel, but I'm going to try and get at least mostly finished with "High King" first. Thanks for reading and for reviewing, it's been greatly appreciated!

Parselmaster: Glad you like my connecting of the games. Thanks!

Blazestarre: Yeap, Epona's back and incorrigible. Thanks!

Justin Time: I need to go watch Star Wars now that you said that… hehe. Thanks!

The Fiercesomest Dragon Ever: Hehe, thanks.

Astryel: I like that. Thanks.

Dragon's Hitokiri: The sequel will be in the WW time. Thanks!

Tizamiki: If you look on my author's page, there are three others, and there'll be a sequel to this sometime. Thanks.


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